Man billed $30,000 dollars for using toll road in Ontario

An account misunderstanding led to a $30,000 407 bill for a Brampton man who says he only uses the highway 'on occasion.'
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[@Snow.Drifter]

I like how they make it sound like they're doing him a favor

[@JeffreyJetsKohut]

They are doing him a favor... he owed $30,000!

[@peanutbutterygoodness8455]

If he owed $30,000 they wouldn't have let him get away with it. They would have sued him for everything they could

[@Moose300]

@@peanutbutterygoodness8455 There are companies out there that can recognize when someone has done nothing wrong, that they are already a valued customer, and that they shouldn't be punished for something going on behind his back. Yes it was his responsibility to pay, yes they did him a favor.

[@dsouzand]

The 407 should be free, the people of Ontario already paid for it

[@pmvaldez1]

dsouzand Kentucky is one of the only places where tolls were lifted on their parkway system once the construction bonds were paid off. Their legislature was smart and put that stipulation into law so it didn't become a bureaucratic cash grab like most toll roads.

[@vincevegacustoms754]

People saying otherwise defend this system and should get beat up and attached naked to poles

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

Harry Buttwhisker That is a really nice idea!

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

Yeah, at least have some toll and free lanes is fair.

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

Paolo Bazzano We know that it’s privately owned but they keep increasing tolls like crazy!

[@brucewilson2763]

Giving away the operation of 407 on a 99-year lease was the dumbest thing ever. Somebody must have been paid off bigly. And the rates! Unbelievable. Take it back!

[@plutoniusis]

Same happen to many institutions , like former Ontario Research , Hydro one ...

[@Shloomy_Shloms]

All the parking areas at The Ohio State University campus are all leased by some Australian investment firm for 50 years and the prices to park there are absolutely outrageous, up to $120 a month for a parking garage spot

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

I agree. The Spanish company needs to be slapped for setting these stupid rates. They are creating congestion on roads where I live. The solution is to get the privately owned company fired if they do something illegal.

[@BlessedToBeSaved333]

Hydro one, 407, just Wait until they do it with the LCBO, Ontarians will have nothing left.

[@zohairkader6670]

It was Mike Harris and the provincial Conservative party that privatized the 407 and also planned to privatized many other institutions including the LCBO.

[@DrewKane]

Why wasn't the ex wife responsible, as they seem to be implying?

[@Honeypot-x9s]

Drew Kane cuz she’s a woman... and legal system plays favoritism

[@niyablake]

Because they have no clue who it really belongs to as he did request it be closed . Plus it's not in her name.

[@niyablake]

My question is how did it get so high with out no one noticing ? Also if the bill was legit way would they waive it ? Sounds like to me like there was glitch some were that allowed them to charge to a closed account or some one else account got linked to his.

[@darcyklyne]

I have no idea, i'm in Manitoba, but is it even feasible to be able to run up that amount of toll fees? What on earth are they charging? $100 a trip? Seems MUCH more like a system issue and not his ex-wife to me.

[@whocares397]

cause equal rights only apply to women when it happens to be somthing good an decent not bills prison time or other forms of punishment

[@mattc9364]

"sorry honey, we had to spend your tuition savings on those highway tolls.............."

[@MrChancebandit]

Went on that joke of a highway once by accident ....the first exit to get off is about 10 km they nailed me 15 bucks for that mistake .......about 4 months later they charged me another 15 bucks saying I was on the 407 again .....I never went to Toronto again let alone on the 407.....keep an eye on your account with them they are trying to double charge you. Little did they know I never went to Toronto again....I called them and all they could say was " oh that must have been a mistake" I said. Really well why did you have the exact same picture as my initial toll but the dates were changed ???

[@CHan-qz6yf]

407 is the biggest scam in Ontario. they have a repeated history of fraudulent billing. double charging and claiming your bills weren't paid. I had a bill for $1 once that came 6 yrs after my last time on. only fools use this highway. ont is a failed and corrupt province

[@NGANSTURR]

Jeez..

[@OUigot]

I used the 407 only on the rare occasion, only when I was in a serious rush to get from Markum to Mississauga for meetings. But $30K? If this guy paid off his bill every month, then $30K in one month = 50 times a day/ everyday/ for 30 days. The 407 people should be begging him for forgiveness for their wicked errors!!

[@landongendur]

50 x 30 = 1,500. $30,000 would have to mean $20 for each time a person uses the 407. I've never driven a toll road - $20 seems awfully expensive!

[@OUigot]

That's why nobody uses the the 407 unless they have to

[@ugaas3074]

@@OUigot how many miles that highway covers?

[@degenerals6127]

@@ugaas3074 it covers 108 km

[@don-cw1yz]

The 407 is quite a racket. Just common sense would tell you it would be pretty well impossible to run up a $30,000.00 bill. Allowing a private enterprise to hold a citizen hostage by not allowing you to renew your driver's license if they claim you owe them money should be canceled.There have been way too many instanses of people being overcharged by this company.

[@XFizzlepop-Berrytwist]

Toll roads are theft.

[@don-cw1yz]

I am not opposed to toll roads but the prices charged to use the 407 are ridiculous. You do have a choice and can take the 401. The concept of a private company owning a road is different but they did have to buy it and it was not built with public money. Ontario does get it back but not till 2098.Most of us living now will be dead by then.I avoid using it due to the high cost myself.

[@tarakhalid5972]

Yeah, how does 407 explain a one time bill of $30,000? Silly beyond reason

[@loganater45]

Im not from ontario. You have to pay to use the highway wtf?

[@systematic101]

Paul Smith the 407 is a private highway. It does mention multiple times before you get on it that it is a toll. Others like the 401 or 403 are free to use.

[@loganater45]

Why was this allowed? Who owns it?

[@systematic101]

Paul Smith I don't know who owns it but as long as they meet all regulations and they own the land I don't see a problem with them having it. If it were government owned and tolled then I would have an issue.

[@soulscanner66]

so if it pays for a yacht, that's a okay, but if it pays for healthcare, that's a problem ...

[@systematic101]

Guy Souriandt who are you responding to

[@denzelheden4256]

thank you so much for helping the man CTV News.....I hope you keep doing this good gesture ....

[@bb3ca201]

I don't drive, but I try to discourage ppl from using the 407. The horror stories that I've heard of people being overcharged are absolutely unreal

[@sheismymom]

We took the 407 once in the mid 2000's to go to Canada's Wonderland. paid the bill and moved on with our lives. or so we thought lol. we got calls for the longest time saying we owed money. finally got it straightened out

[@rebeccafridaylover]

Thanks Mike Harris! We need to nationalize the 407.

[@bmw803]

We need to own it, but contract out management thru public tendering. This way, you avoid political corruption and you lower your costs.

[@davidhoulden5791]

Government is so inept they would probably lose money running it.

[@DozIT]

Lol true that :)

[@jsebean]

No such thing as "nationalize" in this case. This is your province's problem.

[@mcaddicts]

@@davidhoulden5791 The province does own the new portion of the 407, 412 and soon to open 418. I'm sure they're losing money with their tolls.

[@mcaddicts]

Highway robbery brought to you by Mike Harris and his common sense revolution.

[@emmarobbieus9107]

mcaddicts are you an officer of the law?

[@mcaddicts]

@Norbert Kausen Think you mean Ipperwash.

[@TopShot501st]

So apparently you can rack up $30k in tolls before they take you to collections. That ex sure landed a steal.

[@Roof_Pizza]

I accidentally went on the 407 and I exited as soon as I could. I was sent a bill for maybe $20 ($15 for new acct and $5 for distance???) and they cancelled the charges after I called in.

[@gerble36]

They charge you to set up an account? That's BS.... One more reason to never go to Ontario for me >_

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

+gerble36 same. Ontario already gets enough of my money through transfer payments no reason to go there and give them more money than I'm forced to

[@vincevegacustoms754]

P77777777 lolll nobody gets your money idiot...another albertan and his transfert payment speach hahahaha brain dead i tell you!!we pay more for canada then you just look at tax rates!!and on top of it..to pay more for canada then you we need more education to make less income then you for more years invested in schools!! While all you do is drive around spending fuel for nothing like typical albertans

[@schlab73]

Private roads and highways are great when they are actually private, not this weird hybrid of private and public.

[@paulsmith5563]

All you people that use the 407 are suckers paying to drive Ontario roadways🏁🏁🏁

[@DozIT]

The thing is it isn't an Ontario roadway, it is privately owned by a corporation. The money isn't even going to the province. I'll stick to the 401 :)

[@ThnkCmdyFeelTrgdy]

Look, its a toll highway... and you don't have to take it. You can choose instead to sit in the parking lot known as the 401 during rush hours and while you are moving briskly along at 10 km/h think about how those 'suckers' who are willing to pay have decreased your commute time by NOT being on the 401 with you....perhaps you should thank those 'suckers' and have a few fork fulls of crow. I used to take the 407 daily...my justification: with a transponder it cost me $3.00 ish per day (there and back) and saved me 40 minutes.. definitely worth it. And...less wear and tear on my car as well. And... with the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan owning a large percentage ... the 'suckers' are also helping to fund teachers retirement thereby in a roundabout way potentially reducing your taxes by reducing the governments commitment for their portion of contributions.

[@evandickson19]

ReadyToGo well my dad uses it to commute as his old company actually paid for it.

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

Everyone who still lives in onterrible is a sucker

[@kolavadae4592]

Lmao you bums are too poor.. XD.. Why do poor ppl get so sensitive?

[@TheBaz568]

One time I got a 407 bill, but have never been on it on my life, I don't even live in the GTHA

[@pingpong3311]

Must've misred a license plate.

[@fuckingpresident4126]

It is clearly a screwup. No one can run up that kind of toll tax.

[@voetbal12]

"Because this is bad publicity, we're gonna waive it"

[@stephanh2981]

Visited Toronto and had a hotel near that road. The actual amount for the toll wasn't a big deal, but because I didn't have a transponder it cost $5 each time I entered the road, making the bill much larger than it should have been.

[@rtordon]

While it's nice that they waived the charges and closed the account, I would like some information on how the charges became that high and what was being done before sending it to a collection agency. As others have mentioned, the absolute number/frequency of trips would be significant to run up that large an amount. And what effort was being done when it hit $1,000, $5,000 etc to collect. Something smells here and it's not just the bad decision to privatize a major highway.

[@brentwarren6788]

Only time I used the 407 was when I was getting the hell out of Ontario.Too many libtards, taxes and way too much debt. Good luck with all that, no more money from me and my business!

[@JaysonT975]

lol as if you run a business, moron

[@mcaddicts]

The hell else are you going in Canada without debt and taxes?

[@Catharsissed]

So your business is failing huh

[@tazzthedoodle7861]

Brent Warren good for you sir. Soon enough western Canada will have had enough of ontario and the transfer payments will stop... The liberals will starve

[@garyko158]

Brent Warren Ontario doesnt own the 407 bud. A German company owns it and pays Ontario for operation so nice try. Ur stupid.

[@MC-dd8ls]

Highway robbery at its best!

[@Al-em5lq]

Wow. What a Scam

[@AnhTuPhucDerrickHoangCanada]

they should have charged tolls if they needed to raise minimum wage. the expense is then based on use and purpose not leisure.

[@brucemartini2288]

What if car was STOLEN???? then OWNER still responsible??😡

[@guniseran]

The most expensive highway in the world, are we really making that much money?

[@gerble36]

We aren't, the private company that owns it is.

[@vincevegacustoms754]

gerble36 time to screw them over!!take a stand!!

[@SuperKingRiz]

407 is the most profitable highway in the world!! You can clearly see why.

[@rami8975]

tolls are too expensive

[@brianberthold3118]

how was an account that was closed still being used ?

[@thezombiecreeper]

I guess those signs saying that speeding up to 100 km over the limit would cost you at most $10,000 were right

[@jamesalderman4162]

You'd have to drive the tollway every day for an entire working career to run up a bill that big. No doubt it's the tollway's mistake.

[@miteshd1165]

After two months of my rental with IVERSTA, I just now got charged for $52 - 407 Toll. 407 ETR Toll charges:19.36 CAD • 407 ETR Trip Toll charges (1$ per trip): 2.00 CAD • 407 ETR Camera charges (4.10$per trip) : 8.40 CAD • Fine Processing charges: 20.00 CAD • Total (with HST): 52.16 CAD However, I am surprised that there were more administration fees (fine processing charges-$20) than toll charges.

[@rgc3529]

I would never use the 407 crime syndicate highway . . . My taxes paid for that highway and now they wanna charge me if I use it???? Never.

[@balankumar25]

5 years ago, my van was stolen and robber drove my van on the 407 ,back and forth...Finally i got the bill for $500 and they forced me to pay for it...

[@patsyphillip2850]

Never ever again will I ever take the 407! I don’t care what I rather be late than take the 407.

[@rightwingtrollslayer]

Thanks, CONServatives for PRIVATISING the 407...

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

Yeah and the Ontario conservatives are more liberal than the BC and Alberta NDP Ontario is just one big ass liberal basket case with continued insanity paid for by western dollars

[@TeaBurn]

Gives a whole other meaning to _highway robbery._

[@AliasUndercover]

They didn't close it when he asked them to, and now they are covering their butts.

[@kingcomments]

guy sounds like he got what he deserved in the end. Good for him that it panned out in his favour. He sounds legit

[@leem9886]

Welcome to Canada! Free healthcare tho!!

[@NoName-bg2om]

Too bad people won't be able to afford the drive to the doctor.

[@YummyFood454]

I’m from the USA and do not understand what this is lol. I’ve driven to Toronto and just follow the gps, not sure if I ever took this route but wtf how much does one trip cost?

[@freakyflow]

407 was a cash grab from the start and still is a cash grab now Anyone remember it would only be to pay off the debt of making it? anyone remember it would be only for maintaining the roads ? $30,000 would be 100ft of repaved road

[@williamerazo3921]

He didn’t pay his tolls. My mom was using tolls and didn’t pay hers and now her debt is $2k

[@jaggsta]

that is what you call highway robbery

[@KodiD420]

Don’t they have cameras that should be able to tell if it was his car?

[@WhiteFoamDispenser]

I hope you people realize there is actually a Highway 407 Act, besides the Highway Traffic Act!!! And our government acts as a collection agency in resolving disputes... Nice. What's next??? A Walmart Parking Lot Act???

[@WhopperWednesday]

I don't get how the corrupt people that work for the government can sleep

[@pingpong3311]

Dear Government of Ontario, BUY THE 407 BACK!!!!!

The government is not to supposed to turn a profit. It is supposed to go into debt so citizens don’t have to. “A gesture of our good faith”. You tried to rob a man and got caught. Cancerous thieves.

[@lominiski]

It just tell you how messed up the system is. What other mistakes are made and not noticed?

[@Vee_H.]

Just put a smudge of white paint over a couple of the letters in your plate. It works everytime.

[@triniwarrior16]

1 time gesture SMH

[@jesusisthemessiahnotsethro1917]

I also didn't know at first that you have to pay using the 407 until I recived it on the mail. Its only necessary to use the 407 if you're running late to get across the city like the airport or work. Its less traffic.

[@theultranationalist]

im from quebec and when im in toronto, i use the 407 all the time. and the most i ever got charged was 300$ for a month. and thats from excessive use

[@Prisoner_of_Gravity]

Ontario went into debt to build it then sold it for pennies on the dollar. This is why I moved out!😡

[@PlzDuntCensorME]

LOL WTF!!! Man calls up to close a 407 account. They don't close the account and bill him for ~$30,000 then proceed to say out of "good faith" they will now close his account and waive the fee. Was his phone call to close his account ignored years ago? Clearly the business had one job, messed up, then realized their mistakes, and tries to make themselves seem like kind people (but we all know it's because the media got involved)? What a joke. I'd sue for tort and emotional damages. There are other citizens being scammed who have not notified the media and the 407 not closing the accounts seems like it is purposely done to raise profits.

[@csscott9803]

407 is a luxury fee highway. The 407 should be free to drive

[@pingpong3311]

It it became free, it would become congested.

[@canceraxe1447]

I hate toll roads! 407 is expensive and I think it should be destroyed so it can be replace with 401 bypass! Why doesn’t big city like Toronto has bypass highway like the one that Calgary has? It saves you lots of time without having to go through busy 401 traffic!!!

[@funforsameer1769]

I don't know why so many people are so against the 407.. No one forces you to go on it. I've been driving in Mississauga for a couple of years now and only have been on the 407 by accident (forgot to turn toll roads off on the gps)

[@REIDAE]

FunForSameer because us taxpayers are the ones funding it

[@XFizzlepop-Berrytwist]

Toll roads are scams and transportation shouldn’t be something only wealthier people can do. Toll roads are also just outright theft.

[@reversingglobalwarming9431]

OPEN IT UP TO COMMERCIAL TRUCKS

[@MarshallsWorld]

FYI. Companies that sell your information to collections is illegal and you can sue them

[@maxentropy7596]

407ETR will re-open an account that has been paid in full AND closed... and in which the responder has been returned to their offices and accepted at the time of account closure. 407ETR should be required to explain its billing policies.

[@Dman3981]

Unpopular opinion: I like the concept of the 407. I did an internship near 400 and finch and I was commuting from Markham so if by the off chance I slept in I could take the 407 and make it on time. Never showed up late in my 16 months of the internship. And on the days I wanted to get home early for something important I could cut the commute in half by taking the 407. If the 407 was free it would be bumper to bumper like every other highway. Of course the history of it is frustrating, it was definitely poorly handled. Plus the prices are a little too high in my opinion. But it's definitely a good service, just would've been better if it wasn't built with tax payers money and then the profits gone to a foreign company.

[@lominiski]

Nothing is like using cash.

[@insaneapples1559]

Interest charges are what does it. The 407 collects something like 25% interest on any outstanding balance, every month, for years. I had a bill pile up when my son was born because we needed it for all the trips to the hospital. There is just no better alternative. You think you can pay for it, then the bill gets away from you and just keeps going up with the interest. You can't renew your plates if it's unpaid. It's an absolute travesty and it needs to be regulated.

[@paulhutton4148]

the biggest sham is if you get a ticket say for tailgate down and plate not visible on this private road the crown attorney prosecutes you if you challenge the ticket. the crown is paid for by you the taxpayer. since when does the govt give free counsel in persuit of a debt to a private corp. if you do end up in court demand that you are provided free counsel at govt expense to defend otherwise your first ammendment rights are violated by the crown and judicial system and the judgement cannot stand

[@keithparkes4544]

Andrew Lee got a bill for 30 grand that shocked him. Now it has gone to collections. If he does not pay he won't get his license renewed. Apparently it was one big mystery to him. Thanks to Consumer Alert he doesn't have. That type of situation should not happen to any motorist who used the 407 just for the sake of where they are going in the GTA. I don't think this is right!

[@jr.jorgesandoval9427]

That’s good too know cause pretty soon I’m getting a car and only slow thing is my dad wants me to learn how to assign the engine and parts in order so it’s good too know I won’t let my dads account be added up if he helps with it, I don’t wanna take any risks so hope this Express toll route pays off with faster arrivals to work.

[@noobkamal]

407 it charges to much per KM, and they keep increasing the rates. I never use the 407, hate it so much first the tax money is used to build the highway, then the highway is sold to a private multinational corporation at a lower cost. Now the people that paid to have the highway built, have to pay to use it???? The lease is for 99 years, and it was started in 1999. So if your reading this comment you wont be using the 407 free in your lifetime.

[@VancouverCanucksRock]

She racked up the Bill with the Car she had to give him in the Divorce

[@itinkle]

I never use the 407. All residents should avoid it like the plague. We survived before it we can survive without it. Imagine the owners not getting any payments from any drivers :)

[@sirdouglashowel5thseat776]

why don't you guys take back your government ??

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

Just get yourself a license plate hiding device. It's what everyone from the interior used to do when visiting Vancouver and going over the port Mann when there were tolls on it

[@vincevegacustoms754]

P77777777 finally some sense coming out of you!respect for that one ;)

[@95Jpollard]

Lol I've done this before, accidentally turned onto E-470 in Colorado one time and before getting to the booth I pulled off to the side of the road and took my license plates off. They never charged me for using that road. Now if I ever accidentally turn onto a toll road I cheat the system this way. Never paid for a toll and never will

[@SlowedByMaple]

I Think this is Highway 407 ETR (Expensive Toll Route)

[@HGX1]

The government should construct another alternative right beside the 407 and make the toll prices way lower. As a Canadian I'd rather support my country then some stupid Spanish business that are milking the public.

[@puirYorick]

Misleading title because the vital information about this guy's ex is withheld until right at the end. Duh! His ex ran up those charges so she is guilty of theft. He might have thought the account close request was properly done but the wife sure knew she was stealing free trips all that time.

[@Clarkeyy99]

Has anyone ever got a "Full Use" charge in the mail after using the 407. I can't remember exactly but it was a bit over $70

[@danh4435]

They charged me 20$ and I didn't pay it on time until it went to 100$.. I'm so sad. 80$ gone. Crooks.

[@brennanmartin808]

Great that the company let it slide for the guy and for their P.R.

[@spuriouseffect]

30k??? Really?? Wow. This is why I still have a flip phone. Technology always malfunctions around me.

[@saultier]

Toll road prices... makes me sick how corporations just take and take, it's never enough for them, just sickening.

[@vincevegacustoms754]

People just tape your plate before crossing...i cannot wait for people to wake up and take action against them!

[@AnthonyBrusca]

Roads should not be private, if there are to be tolls at all it should be under a governmental agency like the NJ Turnpike Authority or Port Authority.

[@pingpong3311]

The 407 used to be owned by the government but was sold to a private company based in Spain in 1999 because the premier was too lazy to maintain it himself.

[@Phlegethon]

I said, I said, I couldn't believe this, I said!

[@retired-internet-troll]

Wow this is terrible

[@99beta]

I sold my car for scrap and forgot the transponder in the car.Called the next week to deactivate the account. The scrap dealer never changed the ownership of the car and the police contacted me a year later because the transponder was still in use. Luckily I still had the bill of sale and went to the DMV to deregister the VIN number. I guess their system has a flaw that turns off the video camera when the transponder is in use instead of validating the plate number to the transponder account.

[@jsiszero]

Whatever, he would be on the hook for that bill if it weren't for CTV contacting the greedy provincial government.

[@onecrazynewf9150]

How do you rack up 30k in toll charges... that's insane!!!

[@williamerazo3921]

He made those trips and didn’t pay

[@UAX619]

Screw the 407 that craptacular highway

[@Gamerz00760]

If he gets a bill on his new account monthly, why wasnt he billed on his former account monthly? Why would they wait 10 years and say oh wait you also owe us 30,000?

[@mrtaster9736]

We all should thank Liberals for selling 407 we paid for the highway with our taxes they came and sold it.

[@CarolineChiasson]

My dad had a $10,000 bill!!! Insanity!

[@kobewade8709]

Avoid tolls period, end of discussion!

[@eat_a_dick_trudeau]

He should give them a one-time gesture in return, by cancelling his current account with those crooks.

[@allanrichardson1468]

In one interesting case (USA, not Canada), a man moved from a northeastern big city (possibly New York, but I’m not sure) with a toll system using transponders, to somewhere in the West Coast. He forgot to return the transponder before leaving, but remembered it well within the grace period, and shipped it back to the toll agency. Next month he got a bill for a number of tolls incurred during the time the transponder was IN TRANSIT. He forgot to take the BATTERY out, and that box, though buried in a box inside a truck, checked in on EVERY TOLL! He was able to work it out with the agency, but remember to close the account (while letting the agency know you’re moving) AND take the battery out BEFORE shipping it back.

[@theindependentcanadian7698]

What in the heck

[@vacationboyvideos]

He should sue them