Ontario Premier Doug Ford has rejected a proposal from over 20 mayors across the province to modify, rather than eliminate, the speed camera program. Ford is committed to eradicating speeding through alternative initiatives. The mayors, spearheaded by Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, argue that a complete ban on automated speed cameras would undo years of safety advancements in school zones and place additional strain on law enforcement.
Ford criticized the speed cameras as merely aimed at generating revenue, emphasizing that their continued issuance of tickets demonstrates their failure to effectively reduce speeding. He highlighted that fines issued by speed cameras in Ontario surged nearly ninefold from 2020 to 2024, totaling over $52 million.
In a letter to the mayors, Ford stated that the objective of speed cameras to slow down drivers has not been achieved. He labeled the cities and towns advocating for the cameras as “greedy,” suggesting that implementing physical traffic calming measures like speed bumps and roundabouts would be more effective.
Data from various municipalities and research from the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University indicate that speed cameras have a positive impact on reducing traffic speeds. Meed Ward expressed concerns that scrapping the program would shift the burden of road safety improvements onto taxpayers instead of holding speeders accountable.
The mayors proposed potential modifications to the program, such as restricting cameras to school zones, operating them only during school hours, and setting a minimum speed threshold for fines. They emphasized the importance of prioritizing road safety, particularly in protecting children from speeding vehicles.
Ford assured municipalities of indemnification for canceling speed camera contracts but dismissed the idea of the province covering additional costs beyond the promised funding for alternative traffic-calming measures. He suggested that municipalities utilize the revenue amassed from speed camera programs or demand that speed camera operators cover cancellation expenses themselves.
