Ontario Providing More Travel Options for Commuters

Ontario has opened the third round of permit applications and renewals for Canada’s first High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes, which provide another travel option for commuters and help manage congestion.
The HOT lanes are on 16.5 kilometres of the QEW in both directions, from Trafalgar Rd. in Oakville to Guelph Line in Burlington. Vehicles with two or more occupants, or green licence plates, can travel in the lanes for free, while drivers of single-occupant vehicles can apply to purchase a permit.
Applications and renewals are now open until Feb. 28, 2017. The permits will be valid from April 1 to June 30, 2017. Permits cost $180 and are renewable for a maximum of two terms. Permit applications will be accepted each February, May, August and November and can be submitted at Ontario.ca/HOTLanes.
Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province’s history. To learn more about what’s happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.
Providing more travel options for commuters is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

QUICK FACTS

Up to 1,000 HOT permits will be made available for each three-month term. If an applicant is not successful in the draw, they can enter a future draw over the duration of the HOT lanes pilot project, which is expected to last two to four years.
Ontario has started including HOT lanes provisions in Greater Toronto Hamilton Area highway expansion projects currently in design or under construction, beginning with Highways 410 and 427.
As part of the HOT lanes pilot, Ontario issued a Request for Information (RFI) for innovative technologies to support tolling, compliance and performance monitoring of HOT lanes. This supports Ontario’s innovation sector by providing an opportunity to test emerging traffic management and tolling technologies through the HOT pilot.
HOT lanes complement other congestion reducing initiatives, including GO Regional Express Rail that will increase GO train trips by 50 per cent over the next five years with more stops serving more communities.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Ontario.ca/HOTLanes

QUOTES

“Our HOT lanes pilot provides commuters with more ways to get around and help them get where they need to be sooner. We are doing our part and taking action to help keep the region moving.”
— Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation