Starting in the new year, Highway 407 fees will be increasing for the first time in five years.
The new rate schedule comes into effect on Jan. 1 and includes additional toll zones as well as new vehicle classifications, the Express Toll Route (ETR) 407 said in a news release last month.
The highway will now be divided into 12 zones instead of four, each with different toll rates.
Motor vehicles with two or three wheels, which are categorized as motorcycles, and larger pickup trucks, Sprinter vans, SUV trucks and vans towing a trailer, which the ETR defined as medium vehicles, are now included in the system.
The new zoning means the cost of a trip will vary depending on the mode of transportation, its size, the travel time, day of the week, highway section and direction of travel, with prices ranging from $36 to $85.
For example, for a light vehicle, including a car, van, SUV, or small truck under 5,000 kg that is less than 6.09 metres long and less than 2.03 metres high, travelling in Zone 1: QEW to Dundas, at 7:00 a.m. on a weekday, the toll will cost $69.59, the same section of road on a weekend at 8:30 a.m will cost $45.56.
The new rates for light vehicles will increase between three and 14 cents per kilometre depending on the time of day and the zone travelled in.
Revenue from the tolls will go towards essential services including safety measures, highway maintenance, and snow removal,the ETR says.
According to a study conducted by Leger on behalf of 407 ETR, 86 per cent of drivers agree that using Highway 407 ETR makes their journey less stressful.
Meanwhile, a Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA) report found drivers save nearly 23 million hours annually by taking Highway 407 ETR for personal trips.
Drivers can calculate their fee before the travel, and low income commuters can get up to six free trips a month through the Route Relief Program.
