I’m not sure if this is an original idea.  I’d be surprised if it is.  I’ve just never heard any discussion of it before.  My idea is this, instead of yet another fare hike for the TTC, the City of Toronto finds a way to put tolls on the Gardiner and Don Valley Parkway.  These tolls could then be pumped into the TTC and infrastructure in Toronto.  As well the tolls would serve as a City of Toronto tax on those who make their living in Toronto, but pay municipal taxes in the suburb cities.

For lack of being able to find decent usage statistics let’s say 50,000 cars enter Toronto on a given weekday.  If the DVP/Gardiner toll is $3.00, the price of commuting on the TTC, that means that each car will provide $6.00 a day.  That is a total of three-hundred thousand dollars being pumped into the Cities coffers every day.  Or Seventy-Eight million dollars a year.  If we use the toll technology of the 407, we do not even have to slow drivers down on their way into the city.

To save money on administration we could hold off on billing people until they reach a certain amount owed.  Instead of paying the fifty-two cents postage on a six dollar bill we would wait until commuters reach an amount owing of a hundred dollars. Anyway, that is a rough sketch of the idea.  Can you think of anything to add to it.  Or some glaring negatives for the city of Toronto.  Clearly this would annoy commuters, but seeing as people who live and work in the City of Toronto tend not to use the highways it shouldn’t be political suicide for the mayor or city councillors to try and implement.  And it would mean a reduced need to increase the fares on the TTC.  I’d suggest lowering them, but I won’t hold my breath for that.