Hundreds of cars sit unmoving on the 401 exit ramp waiting to enter the parking lot at the Toronto Premium Outlets Grand Opening in Milton, August 1, 2013.
Ontario motorists will soon be paying more for driver and vehicle licences, starting next month.
Passenger vehicle licence validation fees will rise on Sept. 1 to $90 – an increase of $8 – for those in Southern Ontario, while Northern Ontario will see the fees go up to $45 – a $4 increase.
Similar hikes will take place in each of the following two years.
The cost of renewing a driver's licence or getting a new one will rise to $80 from $75, while the fees for various driver examinations will increase by $5 to $10.
The province says these fees, among several others, are being increased to help cover the rising costs of maintaining provincial roads, bridges and highways, as well as services such as education and health care.
The Ministry of Transportation says that even with these increases, Ontario's passenger vehicle licence fees will remain lower than those of many other provinces.
The ministry also says that until last year, fees for new driver's licences and renewals, driver's licence replacements, driver examinations and vehicle permits had not increased in 15 years.
"Making sure our roads, highways and bridges remain in good repair is critical to Ontario's economy," Transportation Minister Glen Murray said Tuesday.
"These moderate fee changes will help recover the cost of providing the quality services Ontarians expect and help maintain the province's highway infrastructure for years to come."