TORONTO — Vehicles registered to members of Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet have been caught speeding by automated cameras at least 23 times in the last three years, racking up more than $3,300 in fines, according to documents obtained by Global News through freedom of information laws.
The infractions include instances of vehicles being clocked at 70 km/h in a 40 zone — resulting in a $450 fine — and multiple other offences ranging from 11 to 30 km/h over the limit. On average, the government vehicles were driving 17 km/h over the posted limit, with tickets averaging $144 each.
The tickets were issued between 2023 and May 2025, with two violations in 2023, eleven in 2024, and ten so far this year. The fastest recorded speed was 30 km/h above the limit. All fines have reportedly been paid by ministers or their staff out of pocket.
The documents do not reveal the names of the ministers or the ministries involved. The Premier’s Office declined to disclose identities and did not answer questions on whether steps were taken to determine who was driving at the time of each violation. Many senior politicians are driven by staff, and their vehicles may be used by staff members even when the ministers are not inside.
“Any ticket or fine issued to a Minister’s vehicle has been paid personally out of pocket by the Minister or staff member directly,” a spokesperson for the premier said. “We expect all government vehicles, operated by staff and/or Ministers, to be driven in a manner that respects traffic laws and road safety.”
Revelations Come as Ford Plans to Ban Speed Cameras
The speeding data emerges as Ford’s government prepares to introduce legislation to ban automated speed enforcement across Ontario. Ford has repeatedly called the cameras a “tax grab,” despite his own government setting the penalty structure for speed camera tickets in 2022.
Under current regulations, drivers pay $5 per kilometre for speeds up to 19 km/h over the limit, with fines rising to $7.50 or $12 per kilometre for greater offences. Six of the 23 tickets issued to cabinet vehicles were for more than 20 km/h over the limit.
Ford has argued that cameras are too sensitive, citing examples from Toronto where drivers received tickets for minor infractions of two to four kilometres over. However, none of the cabinet vehicle tickets involved speeds below 11 km/h over the limit.
Critics Question Motives Behind Camera Ban
Opposition politicians say the revelations raise serious questions about Ford’s motivations.
“It makes you wonder, who’s advocating to the premier to take speed cameras out of school zones,” said Ontario Liberal MPP Rob Cerjanec, a vocal supporter of keeping speed cameras in place. “Could it be ministers? Could it be staff? Could it be his family? At the end of the day, school zones keep kids safe and they help bring down the speed in neighbourhoods.”
Cerjanec added that accountability rests with cabinet ministers, regardless of who was driving.
“Whether it is them driving or someone else, they’re (likely) in the vehicle. We’ve got to make sure that folks aren’t speeding all over the place, left, right and centre. Going 20, 30 over, that’s not OK.”