Is Now the Time to Price Traffic Congestion in Large Canadian Cities?

We Can’t Get There From Here: Why Pricing Traffic Congestion Is Critical To Beating It (59 page pdf, Chris Ragan, Elizabeth Beale, Paul Boothe, Mel Cappe, Bev Dahlby, Don Drummond, Stewart Elgie, Glen Hodgson, Paul Lanoie, Richard Lipsey, Nancy Olewiler, France St-Hilaire, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, Nov. 1, 2015)

Today we review a comprehensive and up to date look at the state of traffic congestion in Canada and has key recommendations to implement congestion pricing in its four largest cities. The first recommends tailoring the approach to the particular needs of the city- whether it is HOT lanes in the GTA and Calgary or applying variable pricing to the bridges or tunnels that connect Vancouver and Montreal to the mainland. Provincial governments are essential to provide funding for pilot projects to get the public used to and supportive of pricing, as well as providing the legislative authority to implement them in municipal jurisdictions that often overlap responsibility for roads and corridors. The federal government as well must share the costs- what a better time than now for the newly elected government in Ottawa? The drop in oil and gas prices (which may rise again in the next few years) also presents an opportunity to generate revenue from traffic congestion pricing without inflicting undue harm on the economy and the driving public.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE