Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government is exploring ways to expand the use of surveillance cameras in municipalities to help police crack down on home invasions and auto thefts—but details of the initiative remain limited.
Speaking at a transit announcement in Hamilton Monday, Ford said the idea came after conversations with local leaders, including Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca, who has already used provincial funding to support camera installations.
“The home invasions, certain areas around Ontario are just getting hammered, (including) York Region, certain parts of Etobicoke, Peel Region, Halton, and Durham,” Ford said. “These cameras pick up a licence plate and a stolen car gets immediately reported to the police. If communities want it, we’ll work with them to make it happen.”
Existing CCTV Program
Ford referred to an earlier provincial grant program that allows municipalities and OPP detachments to access funding for CCTV cameras, with the province covering up to 50 per cent of costs, to a maximum of $300,000 per year. Vaughan was one of the municipalities to adopt the program.
The Premier noted that each camera costs about $15,000, based on feedback from local mayors.
Community-Driven Approach
Ford emphasized that the rollout would depend on community approval:
“If you don’t want cameras for security reasons, we won’t put them in. We’ll only install them if the city or town wants them, and the community gives a green light. But I think they are superb,” he said, citing strong support from residents in his own Etobicoke neighbourhood, where four home invasions occurred within the last 10 days.
Safety Concerns
Ford said he visited a family victimized by a violent armed home invasion over the weekend, underscoring the urgency of addressing community safety:
“It traumatizes people. You have PTSD. People want to move out of their homes. We have to clean up the streets—big time.”
Ford’s office said the government is in the early stages of consultation, looking at whether to expand existing CCTV programs or build on municipal infrastructure.
The comments come just a week after Ford pledged to ban municipal speed cameras, calling them a “tax grab.” When asked if existing speed cameras could be repurposed for crime surveillance, the Premier’s office said discussions are ongoing.