Does the city needs a provincial approval for a London Congestion Charge?
I think it does - highway is defined in the City of Toronto Act as:
What constitutes highway
31.The following are highways unless they have been closed:
1. All highways of the City that existed on the day before this section comes into force.
2. All highways established by city by-law on or after January 1, 2003.
3. All highways transferred to the City under the
Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act.
4. All road allowances, highways, streets and lanes shown on a registered plan of subdivision in the City. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A, s. 31.
And the section refers to tolling "highways"
Regulations re toll highways
116. (1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations providing for any matters which, in the opinion of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, are necessary or desirable for the purposes of section 41, including,
(a) requiring the City to obtain the approval of any person or body before designating, operating or maintaining a highway as a toll highway;
(b) providing for criteria which must be met before the City can designate, operate or maintain a highway as a toll highway;
(c) imposing conditions and limitations on the powers of the City to designate, operate or maintain a highway as a toll highway;
(d) granting the City additional powers with respect to the operation and maintenance of a toll highway, including powers with respect to the collection and enforcement of tolls imposed for the use of a toll highway;
(e) without limiting clause (d), providing that the provisions of the
Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993 and the regulations under that Act which relate to toll highways apply to the City with such changes as are prescribed;
(f) establishing process requirements with respect to the designation, operation and maintenance of a highway as a toll highway, including requiring the City to provide notice to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing or any other person or body of its intention to designate a highway as a toll highway;
(g) providing that the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing or any other person or body who receives notice under clause (f) may prohibit the City from making the designation even though the designation is otherwise authorized under the regulation. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A, s. 116 (1).
AoD