Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s latest plan to ease the cost of living has sparked reactions from residents, with some praising the permanent gas tax cut and Hwy. 407 East toll removal, while others remain skeptical of its impact.
On Tuesday, Ford’s government announced in a news release that it will permanently cut Ontario’s gas and fuel taxes and remove tolls from Highway 407 East, measures it says will help families and businesses manage growing costs amid economic uncertainty and U.S. tariffs.
We’re keeping costs down for families and businesses in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty.
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 13, 2025
Today, I announced that we are permanently cutting the gas tax and taking tolls off Highway 407 East, which will save daily drivers $7,200 every year.https://t.co/rUdKYxj2jZ pic.twitter.com/1DrYzVxRyQ
Starting June 1, the government says tolls will be lifted on the final stretch of the tolled public highway in Ontario; the section of Highway 407 East from Brock Road to Highway 35/115.
The province says this will save daily commuters up to $7,200 a year. This follows previous toll removals on Highways 412 and 418, and legislation passed last fall banning new tolls on public roads.
The government has not disclosed the financial impact of removing the tolls and fuel tax revenue.
“Ontario families have seen prices on everyday items go up over the last several years,” Peter Bethlenfalvy, minister of finance, said in the news release. “To help Ontarians cope with the high cost of living and the impacts of the economic uncertainty caused by tariffs, we are continuing to take action.”
Ontarians took to social media following the announcement, with some residents questioning whether the changes will make a meaningful difference.
“This is too far east to help most GTA commuter volumes or affect 401 traffic,” one Reddit user wrote, voicing doubt over how many will actually benefit from the decision to eliminate tolls only on the provincially-owned stretch of Highway 407.
“Damn, I assumed it would be the entire 407. So I’m still stuck sharing the 401 with hundreds of trucks and foreigners going 80km/hr in the left lane. Thanks for nothing, Dougy!” a user on X said bluntly.
Not all reactions were cynical. One Reddit user acknowledged Ford’s track record on tax reform.
“As weird as this is to say, I like Doug Ford’s approach to taxes since he was elected. Despite originally promising to cut income taxes he hasn’t, but instead he’s only cut regressive revenue sources (tolls, gas/booze taxes, license fees, etc). The result is a fairer, more progressive distribution of tax burden across income levels,” the user said.
“The entire 407 should be free. Tax dollars built it. But I applaud this change,” one X user wrote.
As part of its 2025 Budget, the Ontario government is proposing legislation that would lock in the current gas and fuel tax rates at nine cents per litre, making the temporary cuts permanent.
If passed, the move aims to continue easing fuel costs for residents and businesses, adding to the $1.7 billion in savings already seen since the reductions were first introduced in 2022.
The Ford government also highlighted previous cost-saving measures, such as the elimination of licence plate renewal fees and freezing of fees for driver’s licences and photo cards, which they said saved families over $1.8 billion last year.
The full details of the government’s broader economic plan will be unveiled in the 2025 provincial budget, set to be released May 15.
