Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office directed civil servants to look into the viability of subsidizing the tolls of trucks on Highway 407 , Global News can reveal, devoting government resources to researching a signature policy pitched by the opposition.

Internal emails and documents obtained using freedom of information laws show civil servants were told to “brainstorm and explore” policies to reduce congestion on Highway 401, including “diverting commercial truck traffic” to the 407.

Highway 401 is among the most congested arterial routes in North America, while the privately operated and tolled Highway 407 — which was sold on a 99-year lease at the turn of the century — generally flows fast.

The idea of moving trucks from the 401 to 407 was first raised by the Ontario NDP in 2022 as

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