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Why are Ontario taxpayers paying for this private toll road extension?
Kawartha Lakes This Week
July 16, 2010
To the editor:
re: 'Complete Hwy. 407 extension by 2013,' letter to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and MPP Jeff Leal by Stu Harrison, general manager of the Greater Peterborough and District Chamber of Commerce
We here in the Niagara Region would like to know why are Ontario taxpayers paying twice for this private road extension? There are numerous vehicles traveling every day from the Niagara Region, Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville to the Peterborough and Kawarthas area. Naturally, we would like to see this road completed to Highway 35/115. However, presently we are the ones that have to pay the ridiculous excessive tolls of approximately $50 for a return trip on this private road just to get around Toronto. It is one of the highest toll charges in North America.
Has the Chamber researched how many vehicles travel the other way from the Peterborough area to the Hamilton and Niagara Region using the present private Hwy. 407 toll road?
The toll road funds are presently going to a foreign consortium after our provincial government underhandedly sold our new provincial Hwy. 407 without the taxpayer's mandated permission. A lot of taxpayers who have to use this highway to get around Toronto are still upset about this matter.
The provincial taxpayers paid for this original Hwy. 407 and now it looks like we are going to pay for the private Hwy. 407 road extension while a foreign company reaps the profits. And to top it all, the users will have to pay additional tolls on this extension. Will it cost $100 for a return trip on the new extension? Has the Chamber of Commerce costed this out? Will commercial vehicles, cottagers and tourists want to pay these additional excessive toll fees?
Isn't it time that Hwy. 407 be returned back to the residents of Ontario and the province reduce the toll fees to a reasonable amount. This is where the federal funds should be applied. If the private consortiums want to extend this private highway they need to finance the cost of purchasing the land and building the highway with their own funds.
Phil Baranoski
St. Catharines