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TinniTus soluTions wax reMoval on-siTe Hearing aid repair & Cleaning It may have been mid- February but Premier Doug Ford gave Durham drivers a spring break Friday, Feb. 18. The premier announced the long-awaited removal of the long-hated tolls on Hwy. 412 in Whitby and Hwy. 418 in Clarington come April 5. It was certainly welcome news for Durham Regional Chairman John Henry who had a huge grin on his face at the announcement on Winchester Road at the Hwy. 412/ 407 carpool parking lot. "It's a beautiful sunny day, and a great day for Durham drivers," said Henry who has been advocating for years for removal of the tolls. He was joined at the announcement by Whitby Mayor Don Mitchell and Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster, who have both vigorously fought as well to remove the tolls ever since the roads were opened for use. Ford made the announcement with Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney also on hand as well as Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge, and Whitby MPP Lorne Coe, among others. "Today's a great day for Durham Region. It's a day we promised when our government was elected," said Ford. "It costs residents and businesses in Durham more of their hard-earned money to just get around their communities. In fact Hwy. 412 and 418 are the only tolled north-south highways in Ontario," said Ford. "It's costly and unfair. We're delivering on our promise to get rid of them," he added. There was strong opposition to the tolls on Hwy. 412 near the Whitby-Ajax border and on Hwy. 418 in Clarington, since the roads opened a handful of years ago. They were opposed by local municipal politicians, local chambers of commerce and were highly unpopular with Durham drivers and residents. Opposition to the tolls only increased when Ford announced the Bradford Bypass between Hwy. 400 and Hwy. 404 would be built and operate toll-free in future years, along with Hwy. 413 a new expressway expected to be constructed in the coming decade. Durham drivers be- lieved it was unfair to build and subsidize toll-free expressways while continuing to have to pay tolls to drive in their own region. Whitby resident Ron Stevens, who has long advocated at numerous levels for the end of the tolls, was thrilled to see them eliminated but suggested an election, due June 2, had a lot to do with it. "This was welcome news for Durham residents who have been treated unfairly for four years... and they have now acknowledged that for the first time, obviously due to an election coming soon, and no tolls on the Bradford bypass. "But I am very happy this happened. It's long overdue," Stevens said. Whitby regional councillors Elizabeth Roy and Rhonda Mulcahy, who both advocated last December for an end to the tolls. Both were excited with the news on Friday. "Today the actions of our business community, our community at large and local council have been heard. This announcement is good for the location of our new hospital and for easing our north-south commute for residents travelling to and from the GTA," said Roy. Oshawa MPP Jennifer French, a New Democrat, worked as a member of the opposition to have the tolls removed, bringing forth a private members bill and speaking in the Legislature to have them eliminated. The bill stalled at the committee stage, but it brought more attention to the issue and generated more local interest. On Friday, French said: "People in Durham should never have had to spend years shelling out money for community highways to get to and from their homes, to work or to visit family and friends. That was a terrible move from Steven Del Duca and the Liberals. "Doug Ford could and should have removed the tolls of on Highways 412 and 418 years ago -- instead, his government let my 2018 bill to end the tolls languish at committee. That means drivers shelled out extra cash for an extra four years just because Doug Ford wanted to wait until just before an election to do what was right all along." NO TOLLS FOR DURHAM DRIVERS COME APRIL 5 ON 412, 418 NEWS 'IT'S COSTLY AND UNFAIR. WE'RE DELIVERING ON OUR PROMISE TO GET RID OF THEM:' DOUG FORD Premier Doug Ford announced the elimination of tolls on Hwy. 412 and 418 in Durham Region. Ford made the announcement in north Whitby in a carpool lot near the Hwy. 412 and 407 interchange. Susie Kockerscheidt photo