Alliance TRANSIT, a transit-advocacy group, recommends that Quebec implement toll roads to address a growing maintenance deficit in its transport networks [1].
The proposal comes as the province struggles with aging infrastructure and a lack of sustainable funding. Without new revenue streams, the group said that the road and public-transit systems may reach a critical breaking point [1].
According to the report, Quebec faces chronic underinvestment in its transport infrastructure [3]. This deficit has been exacerbated by a specific fiscal decision made in 2013 to stop indexing the gas tax to inflation [3]. Because the tax revenue has not kept pace with rising costs, the province has seen a decline in its ability to maintain existing networks [3].
The advocacy group said that toll roads could provide the necessary capital to close the funding gap [1]. By diversifying revenue sources beyond the stagnant gas tax, the province could prioritize urgent repairs, and modernize public transit options [1].
Alliance TRANSIT said that the current trajectory is unsustainable for the region's mobility [4]. The group said that the maintenance deficit continues to grow as the infrastructure ages without adequate reinvestment [3].
Quebec officials have not yet announced a formal policy change regarding the implementation of tolls, but the report highlights a systemic failure to align transport funding with inflation and usage demands [3, 4].
“Quebec roads and public-transit systems are at a breaking point.”
The push for toll roads reflects a broader struggle in North American infrastructure management, where traditional fuel taxes are failing to keep pace with inflation and the shift toward different vehicle technologies. If Quebec adopts this model, it marks a significant shift from a tax-funded system to a user-pay model to preserve essential transit corridors.
