NOTE: We are adding information to this ongoing story as we find it
(Thursday, May 30, 2013) Ottawa city councillor wants
Rockland drivers to pay a toll
(May 30, 2013) CTV Ottawa: The toll of two municipalities
(Saturday, June 1, 2013) Ottawa Sun editorial: Say
no to Coun. Blais' toll road plan
(June 1, 2013) Toll highway plan being trashed on outskirts
(June 1, 2013) Councillor Blais floats idea to
charge out-of- town toll on Hwy. 174
(June 1, 2013) Commentary: Ill-conceived toll plan doomed
from the start
(Monday, June 3, 2013) Clarence-Rockland mayor admits toll on
174 is an option
(Monday, June 3, 2012) Neighbouring reeve calls
Blais' toll road plan 'political'
(Tues. June 18) UCPR Mayors weigh-in on controversial proposal
to make Hwy. 174 a toll road
(Thursday, June 27, 2013) United Counties ask
province to take back Highway 17-174
Click here
to see our "Updates" page on Stephen Blais' medical progress from a heart attack |
|
|
| Ottawa city councillor wants Rockland drivers
to pay a toll |
|
(Ottawa, May 30, 2013) East-end Ottawa city councillor Stephen Blais says residents outside the
city limits should be forced to pay to use Highway 174 and is proposing an electronic toll be installed at Canaan
Road and the 174.
Blais was pointing to the long line of cars that come into the capital each day on Highway 174
from the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, including Rockland.
“We can make sure the cars coming from Rockland, who are using our services and not paying property
taxes here in Ottawa, pay their fair share for the use of the highway,” Blais said.
The city of Ottawa is responsible for the 174 east to Canaan Road where it becomes Highway 17
and the responsibility of the United Counties.
Blais says: “This road was downloaded to us unfairly by the province in the late 90's.” He envisions
an electronic toll of five dollars a day for those drivers. He will bring a motion to the next city council meeting
calling on staff to explore all options.
Any proposed toll would require approval from the provincial government.
|
|
Back to top
|
| CTV Ottawa: The toll of two municipalities |
| (Ottawa, May 30, 2013) CTV News Ottawa carried this story with extensive video that included interviews
with Stephen Blais, and comments from some motorists. You can see it here (the video appears after a commercial). |
|
Back to top
|
| Ottawa Sun editorial: Say no to Coun.
Blais' toll road plan |
|
(Ottawa, June 1, 2013) They've sunk to a new low down at city hall if an idea to charge a toll
to non-Ottawa residents using Hwy. 174 gains any traction. Maybe it was the scorching heat Friday that got to Coun.
Stephen Blais and Mayor Jim Watson. Story highlights:
- an electronic toll system at Canann Rd
- system would read the plates and mail bills to the owners of the vehicles
- it's a bad idea
- it does nothing to address the major issue of gridlock
- it's simply another tax grab
Read
more, including viewers comments...
|
|
Back to top
|
| Toll highway plan being trashed on outskirts |
|
(Ottawa, June 1, 2013) The Ottawa Sun also ran a story quoting residents who live near the Canaan
Road border that separates the two cities of Ottawa and Clarence-Rockland.
Read the comments from Leo Lanthier and Kathy and Don McHugh.
Don and Kathy McHugh
Click here for more.
|
|
Back to top
|
| Councillor Blais... charge out-of- town
toll on Hwy. 174 |
|
(Orleans Online, June 1, 2013) Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais wants non-residents to pay a toll for using Hwy. 174. More
specifically, he wants the city to install an electronic toll system at Canaan Road to charge residents from Clarence-Rockland
and points further east who use the highway to get to and from work every day.
- The electronic toll system would work similarly to the system employed on Hwy. 407 north of
Toronro
- the idea of paying a toll for using the highway isn't sitting very well with commuters from
Clarence-Rockland
Read more...
|
|
Back to top
|
| Ill-conceived toll plan doomed from the
start |
 (Orleans Online, June 1, 2013) Fred Sherwin, publisher of Orléans Online, weighs in on the debate, expressing
his views in commentary form.
"Politicians and ill-conceived, poorly thought out plans are rarely parted. Case in point Cumberland Coun.
Stephen Blais and his plan to charge out-of-town commuters a toll for using Hwy. 174."
"...not to worry... the idea will never get past council. And even if it did, the province will never go for
it." Read Fred's full commentary here. |
|
Back to top
|
| Clarence-Rockland mayor admits toll on 174 is
an option |
(1310 News - Ottawa, June 3, 2013) An Ottawa city councillor’s idea to put a toll on the 174 for drivers coming
into the city did not take Clarence-Rockland mayor by surprise.
“At Clarence-Rockland, we want to discuss this subject and bring a long term solution to that problem,” Mayor Marcel
Guibord told 1310News.
Cumberland councillor  Stephen Blais feels drivers from outside the city are benefiting by using Ottawa’s
roads, but don’t pay for their upkeep because they don’t pay taxes in Ottawa. However, Guibord feels it could become
a slippery slope.
“If we talk about a toll going to Rockland, why wouldn’t we talk about a toll going to all the other places coming
to Ottawa,” asked Guibord.
Guibord says there’s more than one idea being explored to address the issue, including the construction of a park-and-ride
lot at the boundary between Ottawa and the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, which would reduce the number
of vehicles driving on the 174. |
|
Back to top
|
| Neighbouring reeve calls Blais' toll
road plan 'political' |
 (Ottawa Sun, June 3, 2013) The United Counties of Prescott-Russell warden, Rene Berthiaume, dismisses
Ottawa councillor stephen Blais’s idea to charge tolls on Hwy. 174 as a “political statement” which lacks support
outside the city’s borders.
- his county’s focus will be working with Mayor Jim Watson’s office and city departments in improving
the busy stretch between Ottawa and the county.
- “I think Mr. Blais’ comments have political intentions..."
|
Read the story here. |
|
Back to top
|
The Regional Mayors (UCPR)...
Weigh-in on controversial proposal to make Hwy. 174 a toll road |
 (Comment:
The United Counties of Prescott and Russell Council Members are in fact the mayors of the eight municipalities
of Prescott and Russell. (See them here.) They discussed the idea of tolls during the committee of the
whole meeting held on Wednesday, June 12.)
Here is an outline of their discussions as reported in the Vankleek Hill Review:
(The Review,
Tuesday, June 18, 2013) While regional mayors are not pleased with Ottawa councillor Stephen Blais’ controversial
proposal to turn Highway 174 into a toll road, many agreed the best course of action was to keep calm and wait.
(Click on pic to enlarge!)
Rockland Mayor Marcel Guibord thought it would be good idea to meet with Blais so he could explain his position.
"We need to understand exactly what it is he’s saying and it’s about more than just a toll road," he
said.
None of the other mayors agreed with him. To find out why, click here. |
|
Back to top
|
| United Counties ask province to take
back Highway 17-174 |
(Le
Droit - Thursday, June 27, 2013) Le droit newspaper is reporting that the United
Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) for the umpteenth time is calling for the province to repatriate  Highway 17-174, the section that connects
Eastern Ontario to the national capital.
The cost to maintain this only route to Ottawa are enormous. We don't have the funds. We must have a road that
represents the needs and realities of the region and that is why we are asking the province to take back 17-174,
"said Clarence-Rockland mayor, Marcel Guibord.
On June 12, the City of Ottawa had also asked the Ontario government to take responsibility for the 174 or allow
the installation of tolls for suburban motorists.
To read Le Droit story (in French) click here. |
|
Back to top
|
|
Clarence-Rockland
Click here to view a World Clock with various time zones and assorted utilities.
 |
The Canaan Connexion
is looking for writers
|
|
Would you like to become a
"Country Correspondent"?
|
|
Contact us:
|
|
and 
