Tolls won't spur 'a parade down Bay Street in my honour,' Tory acknowledges
Council approved mayor's road toll proposal by a vote of 32 to 9
Allowing tolls on Toronto highways won't spur "a parade down Bay Street in my honour," Mayor John Tory joked Wednesday, but said critics of the plan should step forward with their own ideas for tackling some $33 billion in unfunded transit and infrastructure projects.
Tory once again defended his endorsement of tolls as a way to raise revenue a day after council voted to move forward with a plan to have city staff fully assess the proposal to put tolls on the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway.
Staff will look at different options for tolls including flat rate versus per-kilometre charges and dynamic pricing and assess potential environmental, financial, traffic and other impacts.
Those reports will likely come back in about six months, Tory said.
The mayor faced criticism during council's debate over the issue on Tuesday, and has also come under fire from the leaders of the provincial NDP and Progressive Conservatives.
"I understand that it's not going to be a wildly popular thing," Tory told CBC Toronto'sMetro Morningon Wednesday.
But while NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has said she would make up the funding that would have come from tolls with government cash, Tory said, PC Leader Patrick Brown has not offered an alternative revenue plan.
"I used to lead that party and today I'm a municipal politician, I am the mayor, I don't have a party and I just ask all party leaders to be responsible in terms of answering that most fundamental of questions," Tory said.
"If they believe, as I strongly do, that we need a network transit plan ...then you have to spell out how you're going to pay for it."
'It is still the fairest way to go'
After nearly 12 hours of sometimes loud and often polarized debate, council approved the toll proposal by a vote of 32-9.
After the vote, Tory told reporters he was proud of council's decision. He said he's looking forward to the province making the legislative changes to allow it.
Asked about the issue of affordability of putting user fees on highways, Tory offered three reasons for them being the best option to raise revenue.
A hike in property taxes, he said, would have to be about 10 per cent to raise the equivalent amount of money.
"So I think an awful lot of people would have trouble affording that, and I chose not to go that route," Tory said.
Tory admits tolls will hit 905
As well, tolls shift some of the burden of paying for transit and infrastructure to people who live outside Toronto but use roads and transit when they come into the city for work.
"I have gone a route that I think is going to ask people in 905 who will benefit from the transit and fixing traffic to pay a small part of the cost of some of our road and transportation upgrades because they are using those facilities and presently not paying any of the cost," Tory said.
Finally, the studies will look at options for making the tolling system more equitable, he said.
"So I just look at all those things and say it is still the fairest way to go," he said.
While pricing is far from being set, a $2 per-trip toll on those two highways would bring in about $200 million to city coffers each year, according to a staff report. That projection factors in estimated one-time start-upcosts of $100 million to $150 million and estimated annual operating costs of up to $70 million.
City staff reiterated Tuesday that those estimates are very preliminary.
Also on Tuesday, council approved a four per cent hotel tax, which would bring in about $40 million a year, as well as a short-term rental taxed geared toward the Airbnb market.
Both would need to be approved by the province.
Council also voted to have the city manager look at the costs and benefits of adopting an alcohol tax, as well as a sales tax.
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