Saint John council is considering imposing road tolls and higher parking rates on people who live outside the city. (CBC)

Saint John council is considering the possibility of imposing road tolls on non-city residents to raise revenue as it continues to cut into existing city services.

The decision to impose road tolls would not only raise much-needed revenue for the city but it would also target people commuting from the suburbs.

Saint John politicians have been critical in the past of paying for services that are being used by people who leave the city.

Coun. Donnie Snook said he is trying desperately to find ways to help the city's struggling public transit system.

On Tuesday night, he convinced his colleagues to investigate new sources of revenue, including road tolls.

"It could generate a substantial amount of money,” Snook said.

"The idea here is to target the commuters that are coming in during the morning rush hour and leaving. Using our streets for nothing."

The councillor’s idea would not require the city to construct toll booths around Saint John.

Instead, Snook said he believes Saint John could install fixed cameras that photograph licence plates so commuters can be billed for using the road.

"In some places, it's simply a sign that says you are entering a charge zone between certain hours, photographing a licence plate. Any municipality also can apply exemptions,” he said.

'Ludicrous' plan

The proposal to charge people commuting into Saint John a special toll is being denounced by one southern mayor.

Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop said the plan is "ludicrous."

"Suppose I'm leaving Rothesay and driving to Fredericton. I drive through Saint John, am I going to get a camera taking my photo and then sending a bill to me? This whole thing is just ludicrous," he said.

The Rothesay mayor said the provincial government would never give Saint John the permission to impose the road toll.

Bishop also said fewer people are driving from the suburbs into Saint John for services, such as restaurants.

"And if the comment has any validity, that people in the outlying areas — Rothesay and Quispamsis — go to Saint John for restaurants and so on, we're beginning to see a number of restaurants moving to the valley so maybe there's no need to go to the city at all," he said.

Shirley Kirkpatrick lives on the Kingston Peninsula, but says she often heads to Saint John for the day to run errands.

She, and other commuters like her, say they don't think they should have to pay a toll to do that.

"Well, my husband, he comes in every day, so it does get expensive, and for myself, I might come in a couple times a week," said Kirkpatrick.

Coun. Gary Sullivan said commuters — tens of thousands of them — from neighbouring Rothesay, Quispamsis and Grand Bay, are getting a free ride.

He said that means Saint John taxpayers are unfairly shouldering the cost of maintaining city roads.

"I'm a firm believer that if you use it, you should be paying for it," Sullivan told CBC News.

Sullivan said commuter tolls offer a win-win: encouraging more transit use and dollars for that service, while discouraging people from moving to the suburbs in the first place.

"A commuter tax is tough, just because of the system of taxation we have in the province and jurisdictions," Sullivan added

Higher parking fees

Another solution, Snook said, is charging higher parking rates for people who do not live in the city.

Saint John Mayor Ivan Court said he would support the idea of a two-tiered system of parking rates for city residents and drivers from outside Saint John.

"Maybe we need a two-tier system: the people who live in Saint John and park uptown pay $5, or whatever it is, and somebody that lives outside pays $7,” he said.

Saint John council is grappling with significant financial troubles. The city has a pension deficit estimated at $163 million.

City council is asking for the provincial legislature to make special changes that would allow it to save money.

The city hopes to cut $75-million out of its pension deficit by ending cost-of-living increases in the pension plan for workers and suspending them for retirees.

Some city councillors have warned that without those changes deep service cuts or tax increases would be needed.

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