Latest news with #tolls
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Businesses call to lower Confederation Bridge Toll
Businesses call to lower Confederation Bridge Toll The Canadian Business Federation called for the reduction or removal of tolls on the Confederation Bridge.
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
More calls for federal government to address Confederation Bridge Toll
The premier of P.E.I. is asking the federal government for an update on the timeline to reduce the tolls for the Confederation Bridge. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is urgently calling on the federal government to fulfill its promise to reduce and ideally remove tolls on the Confederation Bridge. The association represents over 900 small businesses in Prince Edward Island and throughout Atlantic Canada said Frédéric Gionet the Atlantic Director of the federation. Gionet said 76 per cent of members agree eliminating the toll is the best option to alleviate the impact of transportation costs and level the playing field with the rest of Canada. 'I mean its years in the making and there's a reason why both political parties really jumped on this one as an election campaign promise,' Gionet said. 'They've heard from P.E.I. They've heard from businesses. They've heard from the region. this is a no brainer.' Gionet said there are some constitutional provisions because the bridge was based on the island coming into the confederation. He said a letter has been sent to Ministers in the federal government, local MPs and Premier Rob Lantz to 'bring this election promise over the finish line.' 'The potato industry itself is estimated between five and seven million dollars in direct impact from the toll bridges and you could take every industry in PEI and probably come up with a very similar figure.' Gionet said removing tolls will reduce transportation costs, encourage greater labour mobility, investment and tourism for the island. 'In the spirit of tariffs and Canada having some nation building projects and looking at how we can better trade, there's no better time to do this.' The association is asking for three things right now: urgency on a timeline, fairness for all vehicles and certainty that this change is here to say. In a statement to CTV News, Transport Canada said in part that 'the Confederation Bridge is essential for tourists, residents, and businesses, who need to have safe and reliable options to travel. That's why we're making the Confederation Bridge more affordable. We will ensure fair and equal treatment for P.E.I.'s bridge.' No details were provided for a timeline or what 'more affordable' might look like. 'We're going to continue pushing,' said Gionet. 'CFIB never goes away when it comes to these things. We follow our members demands and they've been clear and they're expecting some answers, so we'll be asking the questions.' For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Ford government officially lifts tolls on stretch of Hwy. 407 East, saving drivers $7,200 a year
Premier Doug Ford is making good on a key election promise, with tolls officially lifted today on the stretch of provincially owned Highway 407 East. The move completes Ford's pledge to remove tolls from the Ontario-owned portion of Highway 407 between Brock Road in Pickering and Highway 35/115 in Clarington. . 'This is one of our campaign commitments that premier Ford made early on,' Ontario's Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria, told CP24. 'It follows the trend of this government removing tools that were put in place by previous governments. First, we started with the 412, 418… and now this was the last remaining public toll in the province of Ontario, as of today, we are getting rid of it.' While the privately owned portion of the highway will still charge tolls, the change marks the end of tolls on any provincially owned highways in Ontario — a milestone that the government is touting as both economic relief and a way to ease traffic on the heavily congested Highway 401. The province estimates that daily commuters using the newly free section of 407 will save as much as $7,200 a annually. Ford, in a social media post, said: 'As of today, we've taken tolls off Highway 407 East, saving daily commuters $7,200 each year. That means that there isn't a single publicly-owned tolled highway anywhere in Ontario—and under our government, there never will be again.' As of today, we've taken tolls off Highway 407 East, saving daily commuters $7,200 each year. That means that there isn't a single publicly-owned tolled highway anywhere in Ontario - and under our government, there never will be again. — Doug Ford (@fordnation) June 1, 2025 The removal of tolls aligns with Ford's broader affordability agenda, which includes the permanent cut to Ontario's gas tax. In a previous news release, Ford said, 'I know that families and business owners are worried about rising costs, especially as U.S. tariffs threaten to raise the price of everyday essentials. That's why we're cutting the gas tax permanently and taking tolls off Highway 407 East, and that's why we'll always keep looking for ways to put more money back into the pockets of Ontario families.' In 2024, the government passed legislation banning the introduction of new tolls on provincial highways, effectively ensuring this approach remains in place long-term. 'We have to recognize… the 401 is a significant economic corridor for all of us,' said Sarkaria. 'Ultimately, we want to see people using more of our highways in a way that doesn't put any pressure or cost on that.' However, some experts argue that the most effective way to manage gridlock is not toll removal but rather congestion pricing — charging drivers more to use major routes like the 401 during peak times. A feasibility study on the tunnel beneath the 401 is also underway. 'The tunnel is something that we're moving forward with,' Sarkaria emphasized. 'We actually just issued the RFP on it a couple of weeks ago to understand the feasibility of it as well.' The government has teased that the tunnel could include transit options and help move people and goods more efficiently through the corridor. 'We're exploring an express tunnel, and that would be to move traffic as quickly as possible, with the possibility of transit underneath as well,' Sarkaria said. 'We know that in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years, travel times on the 401 will almost double. We're going to see significant population growth, and we need to be prepared for the future.' Sarkaria added, 'we need to think outside the box.'
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Major toll route used by 150,000 drivers a day could TRIPLE in cost for motorists to help fund £9bn mega project
MOTORISTS who use the Dartford tunnel toll route could face triple the costs - if the upcoming Lower Thames Crossing mega project is built using private finance. Transport analysts suggest that funding for the new crossing, a 14.3-mile route connecting Essex and Kent with an estimated price tag of £9.2 billion, could result in daily fees at the Dartford Crossing soaring to £8.10. 4 4 4 Currently, cars pay £2.50 to use the crossing, but the Transport Action Network (TAN) suggests fees could rise to £8.10 for cars and £14 for lorries to cover the Lower Thames Crossing's construction and financing costs. However, National Highways has dismissed these claims as speculative - claiming that tolls would remain in line with current rates but adjusted for inflation. The Lower Thames Crossing project, approved in March, would massively ease congestion by providing an alternative route for vehicles between Essex and Kent. Specifically, the huge, motorway-style tunnel would link the town of Tilbury in Essex to Medway in Kent, would also be connected to the A2 and M2 in Kent, as well as the A13 and M25 in Essex. It would also provide transport links between London and crossings to Dover - which, of course, account for half of the goods traded between Britain and mainland Europe. While business groups like the Road Haulage Association and Logistics UK welcome the infrastructure as critical for reducing congestion and improving freight reliability - they stress the importance of keeping tolls reasonable. Environmental campaigners have argued that the crossing could further add to pollution and congestion. Despite the controversy, the Lower Thames Crossing is viewed as a critical addition to Britain's transport network, with some comparing its potential toll structure to that of the recently tolled Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels in east London. According to figures, the Dartford Crossing generated £221.5m in tolls and penalty charges in 2023 to 2024, with £134.9m in operating costs. As reported by The Guardian, Chris Todd, the director of TAN, said: 'Politicians have given the impression that building the Lower Thames Crossing will be pain-free. First new road bridge crossing River Clyde in 20 years opens to drivers TODAY 'In addition to the construction chaos, the huge drain on the public finances, the cost of private finance is likely to be high. 'On even the cheapest PFI deal, the tolls at Dartford and on the new crossing will have to treble. 'That's a huge hit for the travelling public. Most people will still have to use the Dartford Crossing yet will be paying three times what they are now, for very little noticeable benefit.' In response, the National Highways said: 'These numbers are untrue. 'As the planning application for the project is made clear, charges will be applied at the same rate as the Dartford Crossing.' The Dartford Crossing, one of the busiest bridges in Europe, links the counties of Essex and Kent via the cable-stayed Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which stands 137 metres high and carries southbound traffic and two 0.8-mile-long tunnels for northbound journeys. According to statistics, up to 180,000 vehicles use the bridge during its busiest times, although it was originally designed for 135,000 vehicles a day. Its daily average works out at approximately 150,000 vehicles. Almost 40% of those vehicles are HGVs carrying freight - a much higher proportion than on other major roads.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Key road exposes brutal Sydney divide
Tolls on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tunnel will rise for the second time in 16 years to help bridge the brutal divide forcing Western Sydney commuters to fork out up to $39 for round trips to the city. A weekday peak hour return trip from Liverpool or Campbelltown to the CBD costs commuters about $39.10 in tolls, while those travelling from Blacktown to the city are similarly out $38.03. Back in 2009, the same trips cost about three times less. The fees are in stark contrast to those travelling return from Neutral Bay to the city, who pay just $4.41 to cross the iconic bridge — only a $0.41 increase since 2009. The NSW government have now announced tolls on the Harbour Bridge and tunnel will rise for the second time since 2009 in a bid to give motorists hit hard by the road fees some relief. The peak hour weekday toll to use the key road in the CBD will rise by about 14 cents from July 1. Commuters travelling on weekdays between 6.30am and 9.30am, and 4pm to 7pm will be $4.41 out of pocket when the change comes into effect, compared to the current toll of $4.27. All extra cash collected will be put into the government's $60 toll cap, which allows eligible drivers to pay a maximum of $60 per week on tolls. NSW Transport Minister John Graham said the move would provide much needed relief to those in Western Sydney, who pay the highest tolls. 'A toll rise on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel remains a rare occurrence, with this marking only the second time in 16 years since they have gone up,' Mr Graham said. 'In our city's west they have gone up every quarter or every year. 'We are focused on delivering a fairer tolling network and this inflation-linked increase will go into toll relief that has become so important to motorists who pay the highest toll bills in the suburbs of Western Sydney.' The $60 cap, introduced in January last year, is set to expire at the beginning of 2026.
