High-occupancy toll lanes plan for GTA in the works: report

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is reportedly working on a proposal to bring high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes to highways in the Greater Toronto Area.

According to a report in the Toronto Sun, Wynne said a plan is in the works but not ready to roll out yet.

“We’re in the process of developing the HOT lane proposal but that is not complete,” Wynne is quoted in the Sun.

It’s not yet known which highway lanes in the GTA would be affected and when they will be converted to HOT ones.

Wynne said it would be “irresponsible” to speculate on where any of the HOT lanes would be located around the GTA.

She admits there has been a lot of confusion about HOT lanes and the temporary high-occupancy (HOV) vehicle lanes that were in place during the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, adding they are “not one in the same thing.”

Last month, Wynne said toll lanes will eventually be a reality and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

“We have made it a commitment in two budgets that we would implement high-occupancy toll lanes; we said that quite clearly,” Wynne said in July.

At the time, the premier said when and where the toll lanes will be placed has yet to be decided, but that her government wants to apply the lessons learned from the temporary HOV lanes.

“Whether the configurations that are in place for the Pan Am HOV lanes are exactly what will transpire for the HOT lanes – that’s not our plan at this moment,” she had said.

The premier also said money generated from the tolls would help fund the Liberals $130-billion, 10-year transit and infrastructure plan.

Progressive Conservative MPP Michael Harris told the Sun Wynne doesn’t want to provide details of the HOT plan until after the federal election, so as not to hurt Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the campaign trail, especially after frustration from the HOV lanes.

The HOV lanes, which were set up in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area for Games, was the source of driver ire for much of the summer.

They were added to highways 401, 404, and 427, as well as the Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway and Queen Elizabeth Way. The enforcement on the Pan Am HOV lanes were lifted at 11 p.m. on Aug. 18.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today