HOV lane tolls pilot project

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The long rumoured high occupancy toll lanes are coming. Starting next summer the province will roll out a pilot project in existing HOV lanes in our region enabling people driving alone to use the lanes, at a price.

Transportation Minister, Steven Del Duca says drivers will be able to buy month-long permits to use HOV lanes regardless of passengers. One thousand permits will be available, but their cost, and how they will be distributed will be revealed next spring. “We will improve performance on the QEW, introduce the H.O.T concept to the region, and gather information to help inform our long term plan.”

The pilot project starts next summer, but just in the existing HOV lanes on the QEW between Trafalgar in Oakville and Guelph Line in Burlington. If you have more than one person in the car, you can still use the lanes for free.

The opposition parties question whether it’s fair for wealthier Ontarians to have a faster option, or fair to pay more for a road taxpayers have already paid for.