Toronto and Ontario Move Closer to Gardiner Expressway and DVP Transfer
Gardiner Expressway and DVP transfer expected to free up billions for Toronto infrastructure
TORONTO — The City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario are moving into the final stages of an agreement that will see ownership and responsibility for the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway transferred to the provincial government.
The transfer, first announced as part of the Ontario-Toronto New Deal in November 2023, is expected to be completed in fall 2027 and represents one of the most significant changes to Toronto’s transportation infrastructure governance in decades.
According to the City, the upload will remove Toronto’s largest state-of-good-repair liability and free up approximately $1.9 billion over the next 10 years for investments in transit, housing, community facilities and other municipal infrastructure priorities.
Major financial impact for Toronto
City officials say the agreement is designed to improve Toronto’s long-term financial sustainability by shifting responsibility for two major transportation corridors back to the Province.
The Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway serve regional transportation needs well beyond Toronto’s municipal boundaries, carrying hundreds of thousands of vehicle trips each day.
Under the agreement, ownership, operations and maintenance responsibilities for both highways will transfer to Ontario in fall 2027.
Until that transition is completed, the Province has committed up to $353 million to support the operation and maintenance of the two roadways.
That funding is in addition to:
- $359 million previously provided in 2024 and 2025
- $73 million used to accelerate Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation work
The City noted that accelerated repair funding helped complete key Gardiner construction projects more than 18 months ahead of schedule.
Part of the Ontario-Toronto New Deal
The upload forms a central component of the broader Ontario-Toronto New Deal, an agreement intended to address long-standing financial pressures facing Canada’s largest municipality.
The New Deal includes measures aimed at providing Toronto with greater financial certainty while allowing the City to focus resources on services and infrastructure under municipal responsibility.
Mayor Olivia Chow described the transfer as a major milestone in the partnership between the two levels of government.
“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,” Chow said in a statement.
She added that the transfer will reduce costs borne by Toronto taxpayers and allow the City to redirect investments toward roads, transit, bridges and community infrastructure.
Transition planning underway
The City and Province will continue working together over the next two years to finalize the transfer agreement and prepare for the transition.
Officials say the goal is to ensure the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway continue to operate safely and reliably throughout the handover process.
Once completed, the upload will mark the return of responsibility for two of Toronto’s most important transportation corridors to the provincial government, while providing the City with additional financial capacity to invest in growth-related priorities.
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