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Ford's car-friendly cuts will boost gridlock, drain transit funds, experts warn

Ford's car-friendly cuts will boost gridlock, drain transit funds, experts warn

Premier Doug Ford is selling car-friendly tax and fee cuts announced on Tuesday as a win for Ontario drivers — but experts warn the lost revenue could drain funding for public transit, shift costs to taxpayers and set back climate goals by encouraging more driving.
Introducing his government's new legislation 'to help lower costs and fight gridlock,' Ford said the gas tax cut will save the average household around $115 annually, while removing tolls on the provincially-owned section of Highway 407 East starting in June could save some commuters more than $7,000 a year.
'It's frustrating to hear this kind of policy announcement, which we know is counterproductive,' said Albert Koehl, an environmental lawyer and author of Wheeling Through Toronto. 'Premier Ford talks a lot about reducing congestion, yet he continues to pursue the same failed policies of the past.'
Koehl argues the province is undermining its own transit investments by making driving cheaper and more attractive, which evidence shows increases traffic. 'This is a government using public money against the public interest.'
The cuts — first introduced in 2022 and set to expire in June — reduce the gasoline tax by 5.7 cents per litre and the diesel fuel tax by 5.3 cents per litre.
Ontario has not had its own carbon-pricing plan since the Ford government scrapped cap-and-trade in 2018. The province currently falls under the federal carbon tax, which Prime Minister Mark Carney removed. That move, along with Ford's gas tax cut, further distances Ontario from any pricing on pollution.
Koehl also raised concerns about the equity of the move, suggesting that the gas tax cuts and toll rollbacks disproportionately benefit drivers who are more likely to be higher-income. Meanwhile, those who rely on public transit — often lower-income residents — gain little from the changes.
The province currently falls under the federal carbon tax, which Prime Minister Mark Carney removed. That move, along with Ford's gas tax cut, further distances Ontario from any pricing on pollution.
Ontario's road transportation sector already accounts for 26 per cent of the province's emissions.
Evidence from other countries supports experts' concerns about the consequences of cutting fuel taxes, which tend to increase driving. In Germany's 2022 experiment, the government lowered fuel taxes while introducing a discounted public transit pass. Although transit use increased, researchers found that the cheaper fuel led to a significant rise in driving — offsetting some of the environmental benefits. Similarly, a 2024 UK study found that fuel duty cuts primarily benefitted higher-income drivers and drained funds that could have been invested in public transit and sustainable infrastructure.
Matti Siemiatycki, a University of Toronto professor and director of its Infrastructure Institute, says the policy will increase traffic and emissions while deepening Ontario's deficit.
'When you make driving cheaper, more people do it — and they drive farther,' Siemiatycki said. 'The short-term savings at the pump will be paid for in longer commutes, more congestion, and higher emissions.'
Siemiatycki told Canada's National Observer the province is shifting costs from drivers onto all taxpayers. The eastern extension of Highway 407 is one example — its long-term capital and operating costs were once covered by tolls, but will now be paid by all Ontarians, he added.
Although the government is investing in transit — particularly rapid transit — Siemiatycki pointed out that these projects take years to complete. In the meantime, the province has done little to fill the gap with cost-effective measures, like dedicated bus lanes or express services.
Siemiatycki said the lost revenue from tolls and fuel taxes will still need to be made up elsewhere. Ultimately, he argued, the province's financial obligations won't disappear, so with the province already running a deficit, the shortfall will likely be covered through general taxation or cuts.
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner also questioned the province's transportation priorities, suggesting that if the government truly wanted to reduce congestion, it should focus on subsidizing truck tolls on Highway 407 to shift freight traffic off the overcrowded 401.
'The problem with cutting the gas tax is that it takes money away from funding transit operations in communities across the province,' Schreiner said. 'That makes it harder to provide affordable and reliable public transit. At a time when people are facing real affordability challenges, it would be far more helpful to invest in accessible, affordable transit options.'
But doing that requires provincial investment in transit operating costs — removing gas tax revenue makes it harder to do that, he added.
Schreiner said the Ford government's pattern of investment reveals a clear preference for cars over people.
'They continue to invest in highways and driving infrastructure, while neglecting more affordable, healthy, and sustainable options like public transit and bike lanes,' he said.
When it comes to sustainable solutions, Tim Gray, executive director of Environmental Defence, said the province should prioritize expanding public transit, especially within and between cities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of southern Ontario.
'We should be prioritizing buses in urban spaces, like creating dedicated bus lanes,' Gray said. 'The provincial government should be supporting public transit operations, as well as the construction of new lines.'
The government should be supporting housing construction within cities, instead of pushing development onto distant farmland, he added.

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Protests at G7 summit in Alberta expected to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies
Protests at G7 summit in Alberta expected to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies

National Observer

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  • National Observer

Protests at G7 summit in Alberta expected to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies

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Protests at G7 summit in Alberta set to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies
Protests at G7 summit in Alberta set to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies

Winnipeg Free Press

time4 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Protests at G7 summit in Alberta set to be largely peaceful, targeting Trump policies

EDMONTON – Protests during the upcoming G7 leaders summit in Kananaskis, Alta., may be starkly different than demonstrations happening this week against immigration crackdowns in the United States. A University of Toronto research group that has been monitoring the meetings of world leaders since 1998 says its analysis shows Canadian protests are more peaceful and smaller. But similar to the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles, they're likely to be against the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. 'The Los Angeles protests will add another (issue) the protesters going there already care about, but it won't do anything much more than that,' said John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group. 'I don't think it'll bring more protesters, too. Nor will the L.A. protests delay Trump from coming here.' 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It's unlikely Canada's government would respond to any clashes like Trump, by calling in the military, Kirton added. The remote Kananaskis location will be closed off to the public. Visuals and audio of protesters at three demonstration zones designated by the RCMP — two in downtown Calgary and one in Banff — are to be shown to the leaders and other delegates at the summit on TV screens. Another zone at the Calgary airport won't be broadcast. Kirton said the distance between officials and protesters ensures the summit unfolds peacefully. 'Trump has been subjected to two assassination attempts, and one almost killed him. So you can see why (RCMP) have to be hypervigilant,' Kirton said. The Calgary Raging Grannies group plans to be at the protest zone at Calgary City Hall on Sunday afternoon. Mary Oxendale-Spensley, 74, said the grandmothers will be far from raging and clashing with police when they call out Trump's tariffs and his pitch to annex Canada. 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Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Yasmeen Khan, vice-chair of the group's North America chapter, said protesters want to raise awareness about various issues, including Indigenous struggles, housing and climate change. 'We'll have banners. We'll be chanting,' she said. 'We will also have some cultural performances from some Indigenous artists and migrant youth.' Mounties said first responders are prepared for protests. 'While the number of participants may vary, we have strong situational awareness of anticipated demonstrations and are well positioned to respond accordingly,' said RCMP spokesman Fraser Logan. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025.

From bear traps to camped-out soldiers, security measures in place for G7 in Kananaskis
From bear traps to camped-out soldiers, security measures in place for G7 in Kananaskis

Vancouver Sun

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From bear traps to camped-out soldiers, security measures in place for G7 in Kananaskis

Starting Sunday, seven of the most powerful people in the world will be at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alta., where they will discuss economic instability and security issues, including Russia's war on Ukraine. Unsurprisingly, to bring the most powerful people in the world together, even at the best of times — and this is not the best of times — necessitates a massive security operation, with coordination across multiple Canadian agencies. '(Security) is both massive and essential,' said John Kirton, the director of the G7 Research Project at the University of Toronto. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While Canadians are perhaps unlikely to have wildly strong views about French President Emmanuel Macron or Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, U.S. President Donald Trump has angered millions of Canadians with his aggressive rhetoric. Prime Minister Mark Carney has also angered many by inviting Saudia Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman and India's Narendra Modi. Already, unspecified security concerns have led to at least one ceremonial casualty: Calgary's White Hatter ceremony. Traditionally, the ceremony welcomes delegates to Alberta's largest city, and they're handed a white Smithbilt cowboy hat to celebrate Calgary's frontier spirit. In 2002, when the G8 Summit was also held in Kananaskis, leaders were given the ceremonial hats. U.S. president George W. Bush put it on his head, but Jacques Chirac, the late French president, reportedly turned up his nose at the gift and Russian President Vladimir Putin — not yet the international pariah he is today — examined the hat without putting it on his head. This time, however, there will be no ceremony. 'We have to respect that security considerations today are very different from the last time we hosted the summit in 2002 … there's been a lot of nostalgia about what we were able to do in 2002,' said Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek earlier this week. In 2002, a bear also died after falling from a tree as security officials were trying to scare it away from delegates. This year's security team has a bear trap, should a curious bear get too close to the humans in the region. The meeting, last held in Canada in Charlevoix, Quebec, in 2018, will happen against the backdrop of a global economic reorientation. Under Trump, the United States has initiated an international tariff war, breaking down decades of movement towards free trade. Meanwhile, Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been invited to the conference — and Israel's war on Hamas continues to destabilize the Middle East. For the leaders at the G7, there are a number of security concerns, said Kirton: The first is that Trump survived an assassination attempt in July 2024, so there are general concerns about the safety of attendees. The second is that three leaders — France's Macron, the U.K.'s Keir Starmer and the U.S.'s Trump — need to have staff on hand with the nuclear football in case of nuclear war. (None of the other powers at the G7, unless Modi attends, head countries with nuclear weapons.) There's also the risk of violence or a terror attack or the possibility that a protest will get out of hand, such as in Genoa, Italy in 2001, when more than 200,000 demonstrators took to the streets. Additionally, unlike in Kananaskis in 2002 or Genoa in 2001, there are drones, which can be easily manipulated from afar. 'So that is a new and more complex threat to defend against,' said Kirton. He described the threat environment for the 2025 summit as 'more diffuse.' In Italy in 2001, for example, the fear was that al-Qaida would carry out an attack; in June 2001, Osama bin Laden told supporters of an intended attack on G8 leaders. 'That kind of threat is still on the playlist, but then you've got the new ones as well: wildfires and a great deal of anger against the president of the United States that you didn't have at Kananaskis one,' said Kirton. It remains to be seen if the specific tensions engendered by the attendees will lead to protest activities at designated zones in Calgary and Banff. The United States Secret Service, which came under heavy criticism in the U.S. after a failed assassination attempt against Trump while he was on the campaign trail last year, said it will continue to provide security for the president while he's in Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is the lead agency in security planning. But the Integrated Safety and Security Group (ISSG) managing G7 security also includes Calgary Police Service, Alberta Sheriffs, provincial conservation officers and members of the Canadian Armed Forces. 'The ISSG's focus remains on providing a secure environment for the Summit, ensuring it unfolds safely and respectfully for all participants and host communities,' wrote Fraser Logan, a spokesperson for the RCMP, in an email to National Post. Late last month, dozens of Canadian Armed Forces members streamed through outdoor retail outlets in Edmonton, stocking up on cold-weather gear and other necessities to keep them comfortable as they camp out in the bush for the duration of the summit. The Kananaskis region now resembles an armed camp, the Calgary Herald reported , with soldiers camped out and helicopters flying overhead. During the summit, police and the military will be deployed on ATVs and in armoured vehicles. Drones will fly overhead. There are airspace restrictions in effect and military jets could shoot down any planes that persistently violate the 30-nautical-mile no fly zone around Kananaskis. RCMP Chief Supt. David Hall, the ISSG security director, said hosting the G7 is a hugely complex project and is the 'largest domestic security operation' possible for any host nation. Kananaskis Village itself will be sealed off by metal fencing and cameras are mounted on poles around the hotel where delegates are staying, the Calgary Herald reported. The trailheads, campgrounds and parking lots are packed with military vehicles and personnel, the Herald reported, and one group was hiking through the area to get to know the terrain. The Nakiska ski area, built for the 1988 Olympic Games, is being used as the staging area for security. In 2002, 5,000 soldiers and 1,500 police were deployed, though the ISSG refused to discuss deployments for 2025. 'We don't confirm numbers, the breakdown or the origin of deployment of our security personnel,' wrote Logan. Throughout the region, including Calgary, the security procedures necessary to host such high-level dignitaries will be visible. Last month, Calgarians wondered at police moving through town. It turned out that it was members of the Calgary Police Service's traffic section practicing their motorcade-escort skills in advance of the arrival of G7 delegates. The summit has also led to numerous road closures — and not just in the immediate area of the summit — but also around the Calgary International Airport, the closest airport to the Kananaskis region. In the region itself, a 20-kilometre stretch of Highway 40 will be closed, cutting off access to many hikes and easy access to a favoured spring cycling route. However, travellers can take the Smith Dorrien Trail — a battered-but-scenic gravel backroad — from Canmore to access the southerly portions of Highway 40. The telephone line to reach Alberta Parks for information includes details on cancellations, suggesting that tourists with trips planned to the region should adjust their plans due to G7-related closures. Within the security zone, only accredited personnel, including journalists, and residents of Kananaskis Village, will be permitted to enter. 'The general public is asked to try their best to stay away from these areas as wait times are expected to cause delays in travel,' the RCMP said in a statement Wednesday. National Post, with additional reporting by the Calgary Herald Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .

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