Ontario’s municipalities are urging Premier Doug Ford to abandon his plan to eliminate automated speed cameras, warning that removing them will put pedestrians at greater risk.
The call comes after Ford doubled down this week, saying if cities don’t voluntarily take down their cameras, he will move to do so when the legislature resumes this fall. His comments followed the destruction of 17 Toronto speed cameras in two nights — part of a growing wave of vandalism against the devices. Ford has called the cameras a “cash grab” and suggested that large warning signs and flashing lights would be a fairer way to curb speeding.
In a letter sent to the premier, Robin Jones, president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), cited evidence showing that automated enforcement works. A July study by SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University found that speed cameras reduced speeding by 45 per cent in Toronto’s community safety zones.
“The evidence shows that if automated speed enforcement cameras are removed, speeds will increase … and more pedestrians will be at risk,” Jones wrote, urging Ford to work with cities rather than dismantle enforcement programs.
AMO rejected the premier’s “cash grab” characterization, noting that fines are reinvested into community safety measures and allow police to focus on other critical work. Toronto alone issued $40 million in fines in 2024 and has already surpassed $45 million this year, city officials said.
The Ministry of Transportation said earlier this week that it is exploring “alternative tools” to improve traffic safety without using cameras. Meanwhile, Toronto police are investigating the rash of camera vandalism and released surveillance images of two suspects involved in cutting down a camera on Parkside Drive, a device that has now been targeted seven times.