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Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Ontario government wants to raise driver fees less than one year after freezing them

Not even one year after freezing a host of fees for drivers and vehicle owners, Ontario's "Government for the People" is reversing its course.

In a regulatory proposal posted to the provincial government's own website, the Ministry of Transportation recommends introducing an "annual two per cent across-the-board fee" for many of the same driver, vehicle, and carrier products and services capped last August.

Some of the drivers who voted for PC leader Doug Ford in last year's provincial election are a bit ticked off by the proposed move.

"These moderate fee increases will allow the government to continue delivering services and move towards full cost recovery without increasing taxes for all Ontarians," reads the proposal, which is available now for public comment.

"By doing a two per cent regular increase, the Ministry of Transportation is taking a measured approach to achieving fiscal balance, while providing Ontario residents the ability to predict annual increases, directly tied to inflationary pressures."

Should the proposal be pushed through as written, the first fee increase would take place on July 1 and again annually for the next five years.

The fee increases would apply to such services as driver's licence renewals, knowledge tests and road tests for G1, G2, M1, M2, A,B,C,D,E and F-class licences.

Interestingly enough, Ontario's previous Liberal government had planned on increasing some of these same fees in September of 2018, only to have the move quashed by Ford's government.

"We are stopping the Liberals' driver fee increase because people are fed up with paying more every time they need to renew their licence or take a driving test," said Ford in a statement at the time.

"We are making life more affordable and putting money back where it belongs — in the pockets of hard-working Ontarians."

Easier said than done, it would seem.


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

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