Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown will not support tolls on Toronto's Gardiner Expressway or Don Valley Parkway, no matter how far along the process is.
Toronto city staff estimates it could pull in up to $200-million a year by implementing a $2 toll to drive on either city-maintained roadway. The system could be ready to go as early as 2019, months after scheduled provincial and municipal elections.
But Brown has no qualms about undoing it all should he be elected Premier.
"I would take those tolls down," Brown told NEWSTALK 1010's Jerry Agar Tuesday.
Toronto Mayor John Tory and his executive voted last week in support of the tolling proposal with a city council debate still ahead.
But there can be no tolling on the Gardiner or DVP without a legislative change by the provincial government.
On Monday, Brown formally urged Kathleen Wynne's government to reject Toronto's request.
The PC leader says it is unfair to charge Ontario drivers for roads they have already paid for, predicts side-street gridlock and a "war of tolls" with other municipalities wanting to erect their own tolling systems.
Brown did not say how else he proposed Toronto might make $200-million annually that the city intends to use for infrastructure and transit projects.
"I feel bad for municipalities that can make their budgets...but it's because of this government's abysmal record infrastructure," Brown told reporters outside Queen's Park Tuesday. "By Kathleen Wynne allowing these tolls to go ahead she's asking 905 commuters, 416 drivers to pay for her mistakes."
In the legislature Wynne responded with an attack on how the PCs had disrespected municipalities when they were in government, and said the Liberals would not take "unilateral action against the city of Toronto."
The Minister of Transportation called Brown's comments a "stunt". Amanda Galbraith, spokesperson for Toronto Mayor John Tory suggested Brown was "trying to score cheap political points in the 905".
A motion by Brown to deny a request from Toronto for tolls will be debated Thursday.