Ontario uploading Gardiner and DVP in 2027, pledges toll-free future
Ford government commits $353 million to take over two critical Toronto highways and ensure they stay free of tolls.
Ontario will assume full ownership of the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway in fall 2027, Premier Doug Ford announced Thursday — a move framed as critical to reducing gridlock across the region.
The province will provide up to $353 million to cover Toronto's operating and maintenance costs until the transfer is complete. Ford pledged the highways will remain toll-free and in good repair under provincial management.
"Uploading the Gardiner and DVP is part of our plan to tackle bumper-to-bumper traffic impacting drivers from across Ontario," Ford said. "We will never toll these highways, and we will never tear them down."
The move is part of the province's New Deal for Toronto, positioning the takeover as a step toward improving regional traffic flow and ensuring the two critical arteries stay safe and reliable. Both highways carry tens of thousands of vehicles daily and are vital links for commuters from across the Greater Toronto Area.
This is one of the most significant infrastructure transfers between the province and the city in recent memory, shifting maintenance and capital responsibility away from Toronto after decades of local ownership.