As part of its new deal with the City of Toronto, the Ontario government will assume ownership of the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway (DVP) in the fall of 2027.

“Our government is investing $31 billion to build new roads, highways and bridges across the province to get drivers out of gridlock,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Uploading the Gardiner Expressway and DVP is part of our plan to tackle bumper-to-bumper traffic impacting drivers from across Ontario and support municipal investments in public transit, homes and other vital infrastructure residents are relying on. We will never toll these highways, and we will never tear them down.”

To support the transfer of the Gardiner Expressway and DVP to provincial ownership, the government is providing up to $353 million to the City of Toronto to continue operating and maintaining both highways until the transfer is complete. During this transition, the province says it will help guide capital decisions to align work on both highways with applicable provincial standards.

“The upload of the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway is a major milestone in our new deal with the province and demonstrates what can be achieved when governments work together,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “Returning these regional highways to provincial responsibility will reduce the financial burden on Toronto taxpayers and allow the city to focus more of its resources on the roads, transit, bridges and community infrastructure that residents rely on every day.”

Since the New Deal for Toronto was announced in November 2023, the provincial government has provided $431.4 million in financial support for the City of Toronto to support the maintenance and repair of the two highways. This included $73 million to accelerate repairs on the Gardiner Expressway, which led to the completion of repairs more than 18 months ahead of schedule. Accelerating repairs on the Gardiner Expressway saved Ontario’s economy $273 million and is saving the 140,000 drivers who use the highway each day up to 22 minutes per trip.

The Gardiner Expressway and DVP are nationally significant economic corridors, facilitating domestic and international trade, boosting GDP and supporting millions of visitors to Toronto annually.

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