Driving in Toronto has officially become a nightmare: construction projects everywhere, gridlock, blocked intersections. I don't take my car downtown. When I do drive, I avoid rush hour at all costs. According to a recent index by the digital mapping company TomTom, Toronto now has the worst traffic in North America, ahead of Mexico City, New York and even Los Angeles. Vancouver isn’t far behind, and congestion in other major Canadian cities, like Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and their suburbs, has spiked since 2022.
We need new solutions for our quickly growing cities: bigger fines for illegally parked drivers, levies for builders who block lanes and better public transportation. Reece Martin, a Toronto-based transit analyst, makes a strong case in Maclean’sfor another potentially transformative solution: congestion pricing.
Martin argues that Canadians will be less inclined to drive into a crowded area if they know they'll be charged. These tolls can also generate money that could be invested in transit infrastructure. There are other benefits too–less pollution and speedier deliveries if trucks can move faster. But can any politician generate the enthusiasm for this idea to make it happen? Martin’s case is compelling. Maybe now’s the time.
—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief
