Ont. environmental watchdog calls for road tolls

Ontario's environmental commissioner is calling on the province to consider charging motorists road tolls and congestion fees to help cut greenhouse gas emissions.

In his annual progress report on Ontario's climate change policies released Monday, Gord Miller said cars and trucks are the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector, which contributes 32 per cent of emissions as a whole.

Miller's report asks the Liberal government to expand its climate change policy to include road pricing strategies, such as highway tolls or charging drivers congestion fees for entering busy city centres.

'We have to face up to the fact that the roads in the GTA are plugged.' Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller

Miller said revenue from road pricing would go toward funding the province's transit projects.

Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne said Monday the province isn't planning to implement any road tolls or fees.

However, Wynne said the government wants to look at a variety of strategies and said there are plans to "have an intelligent conversation about how to fund transit infrastructure over the next generation."

Mike Schreiner, Ontario's Green Party leader, said he supports charging drivers for entering chronically congested zones.

"The most effective [road pricing policies] would be around congestion charges, because people want to commute fast. It's going to be better for our economy to increase efficiency."

Miller said road pricing would encourage more people to take public transit or use bicycles.

"We have to face up to the fact that the roads in the GTA [Greater Toronto Area] are plugged," Miller said Monday.

The report says other jurisdictions around the world have realized environmental, social and economic benefits by putting a price on road use.

London, England, for example, began charging motorists in 2007 for entering its central business district during between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The fee equivalent to $12.30 has helped reduce traffic levels by 25 per cent, according to Miller's report.