Ontario’s mayors are urging Premier Doug Ford to reconsider his plan to ban speed cameras across the province, warning that the move will undermine road safety and leave municipalities on the hook for millions in costs. If the province proceeds with the ban, they are calling on Ford’s government to fully reimburse municipalities for lost revenue and cancellation expenses.
Ford announced last week that his government will table legislation this month to prohibit the use of automated speed enforcement cameras in all municipalities. He has repeatedly argued that the cameras are ineffective and serve primarily as “cash grabs” for cities and towns.
Municipal leaders, however, strongly dispute that characterization. More than 20 municipalities signed a letter to the premier and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, pointing to evidence from local data as well as research conducted by the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University showing that speed cameras lead to a measurable reduction in speeding.
Many municipalities use the revenue collected from speed camera fines to fund road safety initiatives, including traffic calming measures, increased enforcement in school zones, and pedestrian safety improvements. Municipal officials argue that an outright ban will not only jeopardize those safety programs but will also impose unexpected financial burdens on cities.
The letter sent to Ford’s office calls on the province to compensate municipalities for the loss of revenue tied to these programs, as well as to cover severance costs for staff associated with the programs and higher policing costs that will result from their cancellation.
The proposed ban has sparked mounting tensions between Queen’s Park and local governments, particularly over safety in school zones where many of the cameras are currently installed. Municipal leaders say the province should work with them to improve or modify the system rather than eliminating it altogether.