Toronto congestion: New tools include construction levy, increased fines for traffic violations [Video]

The City of Toronto has identified a handful of new tools it hopes it can use to reduce gridlock in Canada’s largest urban centre, including expanding its use of automated enforcement, increasing fines for drivers, and implementing financial penalties for developers and utility companies that block lanes of traffic for extended periods.

Some of these strategies, outlined by city staff in a report released this week, still require approval from city council and the provincial government.

City staff say they are proposing a construction congestion management levy for construction work that obstructs roadways and sidewalks. According to city staff, developers and companies would be charged fees based on location and the impact on traffic in the area. They would be charged daily and could face escalating fees depending on the duration of the work.

“The impact of that street closure is costing the economy billions of dollars,” Chow told reporters during a briefing at city hall on Friday.

She said companies …