THE ISSUE
Background
With a million+ new residents expected in the western GTA by 2051, more transportation capacity in this part of our region is definitely needed for both people and freight movement. However, building a new expressway such as Highway 413 comes with many negative consequences:
Estimated capital cost of $10 billion+
Will take decades to construct and open
Will impact private property, farms, forests, wetlands and conservation areas and further endanger already at-risk species
Will not eliminate “gridlock”, due to the phenomenon of induced demand, where newly constructed highways in urban areas, unless tolled, soon fill up again, eliminating any travel time savings.
Transportation experts are well aware of these negatives. As the alternative to Highway 413, they recommend expansion of the rapid public transit network, as transit can move more people more cost-effectively than automobiles.
For goods movement, Highway 407 has the potential to be a very useful corridor if truck toll rates were reduced. Using Highway 407 as a truck bypass for Highway 401 traffic was a fundamental objective when the highway was built in the 1990’s. Later, this concept was recommended in 2017 by the Province’s Advisory Panel set up to review the merits of building Highway 413. Follow up studies and reports on implementing a toll discount for trucks are presented in the Reports section.
WHERE IS HIGHWAY 407?
Highway 407 is conveniently located as a truck bypass route for Highway 401. It provides a continuous span of our entire region, from Burlington to Bowmanville, typically separated from Highway 401 by about 10 km.
Benefits of Opening Up Highway 407 to Trucks
Efficient movement of goods by trucks is important to our economy. Trucks are routinely delayed as they cross our region on Highway 401. Although Highway 407 is conveniently located for many trips and spans the entire region, few trucks use it due to high toll costs. A truck toll discount could solve that problem and would be lower cost than constructing and operating Highway 413 (Reports).
Reducing truck volumes from Highway 401 also frees up space on Highway 401, allowing more and safer automobile journeys.
Another advantage of opening up Highway 407 is that it can be implemented almost immediately
It is important that tolls not be eliminated for automobiles on Highway 407, as tolls are required to suppress induced demand. In fact, road pricing is actually needed on all expressways, arterial and collector roads in our region. If the entire region had road pricing, there would be an opportunity for substantial reduction in automobile toll rates versus those on Highway 407 today, to levels like 3-10 cents/km, similar to US rates like on the New York Turnpike. Even these low rates are effective in congestion management. The GTHA rates would likely be lowest for collector roads in low congestion areas at off-peak times, and highest for expressways in congested areas at peak times. As in the USA, credits for fuel taxes or other paid fees would be sent back to drivers to avoid double taxation, with any remaining revenue going to transit investment. Road pricing is discussed more fully in a 2025 report by Environmental Defence and Transport Action Ontario (report)
Transit to Move People
While this website focusses on goods movement, efficient movement of people in the western GTA is also very important. The 2025 report by Environmental Defence and Transport Action Ontario shows that, for a similar capital cost, over twice as many people can be moved by rapid transit than with Highway 413. Additionally, by reversing car-enabling subsidies, the province can provide additional operating funding to western GTA transit agencies to boost transit service levels and ridership.
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