Ontario woman calls 407 toll rates ‘ridiculous’ after more than $1,700 in charges

Commuters looking to save time often look to Highway 407, but possible changes to usage rates may change that. Pat Foran has more.

An Ontario woman is speaking out about the cost of using Highway 407 to commute after a recent bill showed more than $1,700 in charges.

Tasha Coates of Georgetown, Ont., uses the toll highway to commute back and forth to work on a daily basis.

However, after receiving her bill for February last month, she was shocked to see the toll charges added up to $1,760.

Promotional credits did bring the amount Coates actually had to pay down to $1,427.49 but she says even that amount is shockingly high.

“The rates are ridiculous,” Coates said.

Coates drives from Georgetown to Richmond Hill five days a week for work. She told CTV News if she didn’t use the toll road, she would spend about four hours commuting to and from work on a daily basis.

Her bills used to be about $1,200 a month last year, but now, they’ve jumped much higher.

As of January, tolls on some of the busiest portions of Highway 407 increased by up to 34 cents per kilometre for light vehicles. 407 ETR previously said that most personal transponder customers would see an average monthly increase of about $5 as a result of the toll increases.

“The price for me to use the 407 back and forth to work is $1,700 a month and that is not using it for anything else,” Coates said.

Coates said she’s usually in traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours when, at times, the 407 toll price can be $1 per kilometre.

“It’s $50 to work and $50 to get home. So I’m spending $100 a day to get to and from work,” said Coates.

According to Coates, traffic congestion is so bad that if she doesn’t take the 407, she will be on the road for an additional two hours.

To reduce costs, the 407 ETR offers promotions that eligible drivers can sign up for. Last month Coates saved $540 on her March bill and $961 on her January bill. She’s also saved $1,090 in December.

Even though Coates has taken advantage of promotional offers and saved money, she still believes the cost of using the toll road is too expensive and says when the promotional offers end, her bill will return to about $1,700 per month.

“I would love my bill to get decreased and I would love that for the rest of Ontarians,” Coates said.

When CTV News reached out to the 407 ETR, Christina Basil, vice-president of communications and government relations, told CTV News in a statement that the highway’s toll rates are set once a year and “reflect careful analysis to help ensure that we’re drawing traffic off the free alternatives while delivering a smooth, predictable journey so customers continue to receive the value they expect and pay for.”

Basil pointed out that the highway increased its discounts this year.

“This customer is a great example of the benefits of our driving offers and would be considered one of our most frequent drivers, travelling during morning and afternoon rush hour most days of the week. She’s been enrolled in various promotions for nine of the last 13 months and has received savings of almost 65 per cent on her toll charges,” she said.

The Ontario government removed tolls from the provincially owned eastern section of the 407 last June, from Pickering to Clarington, which has saved drivers money.

Coates said those using the western section of the toll road could also use some relief.

She feels the province should step in and find ways to make the toll road more affordable.

“I know other families are struggling and have the same issues and will not use the drive on the 407 because of the exorbitant costs and it’s frustrating,” Coates said.

The 407 ETR encourages customers to sign up for promotional offers, including a program for low-income drivers, who may be able to get eight free trips per month.