Twenty mayors, a deputy mayor, and a county warden representing various municipalities in Ontario have jointly penned a letter to Premier Doug Ford and the transportation minister, urging them to consider a compromise on automated speed enforcement (ASE) measures in school zones, rather than implementing a province-wide ban. The letter highlights that should a ban be enforced, the 22 municipal leaders call for complete reimbursement of all costs incurred by municipalities due to the cancellation of the ASE program.
The mayors emphasized in their social media-shared letter that the reimbursement should encompass expenses related to enhanced local policing, staff severance, and public safety initiatives currently supported by speed camera revenues. They emphasized the primary intent of installing cameras in school zones as safeguarding the most vulnerable members of their communities, especially children.
Expressing concerns over the potential repercussions of a blanket ban on ASE, the municipal leaders emphasized that such a measure would reverse the positive strides made in enhancing safety within school zones. They highlighted that it would add strain on law enforcement resources, escalate enforcement expenditures, and most critically, jeopardize lives.
In a bid to retain ASE measures in school zones, the municipalities outlined several compromises they are willing to make, including issuing warning tickets for first-time offenses, setting cameras to trigger at a reasonable speed threshold before issuing tickets, operating cameras only during school and community use hours, and implementing a blackout period on additional fines for a week after the initial ticket to allow drivers an opportunity to modify their behavior.
Additionally, the leaders proposed that revenue generated from speeding fines be channeled towards traffic calming initiatives such as speed signs and roundabouts, practices already adopted by many municipalities across the province.
Addressing Premier Ford’s stance on speed cameras as a “tax grab,” the municipal leaders underscored their commitment to road safety initiatives and cited a study indicating a significant reduction in speeding vehicles in school zones due to ASE cameras. They stressed the tangible benefits of such measures in terms of reducing injuries and fatalities, garnering support from organizations like the Ontario Traffic Council and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.
Despite certain municipalities, including Brampton and Toronto, voting to continue their ASE programs in defiance of the provincial ban proposal, others like Vaughan have opted to discontinue municipal cameras, focusing instead on alternative traffic-calming strategies. Vaughan, which initiated its ASE program in April 2025, temporarily suspended it in June following a surge in ticket issuances. Toronto, on the other hand, has faced challenges in maintaining its speed cameras following multiple incidents of vandalism within a short span.
The municipal leaders’ letter serves as a plea to prioritize public safety and preserve vital road safety tools, emphasizing the critical role of ASE cameras in promoting safer environments for children and communities.
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