Ontario has officially removed tolls from highways 412 and 418, a pair of north-south routes that connect Highway 401 and the tolled Highway 407 just east of Toronto.
“The tolls were unjustly imposed and placed a financial burden on the hardworking people of Durham region,” said Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney. “Being able to drive on these highways for free will save drivers both time and money and boost the economic competitiveness of the region.”
They were the only tolled north-south highways in the province.
Toll rates remain on the privately operated 407 ETR and the provincially owned 407 East Extension.
The 108-km 407 ETR is run under a 99-year lease agreement, which was sold in 1999 by a previous Progressive Conservative government for $3.1 billion. Those holding interest in the company include subsidiaries of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (50.1%), Cintra Global (43.23%), and SNC-Lavalin (6.75%).