Amid talk of road tolls, federal memo says poorer commuters rely heavily on cars
OTTAWA — An internal federal analysis says lower income Canadians remain highly dependent on cars to get to work — a finding that surfaces as Ottawa considers infrastructure investment models that could put more toll booths on the country’s roads.
The February briefing note was prepared weeks before the Trudeau government signalled its intention to engage institutional investors, such as pension funds, to help raise money for public infrastructure projects.
Senior pension plan officials have said they are looking to invest in infrastructure projects with reliable, predictable returns that could include user fees — like road tolls.
The Finance Department memo said that user fees ensure those who benefit most from infrastructure are the ones who pay for it.