On the 3rd of February, City Council has approved the installation and operation of 25 new Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras to further increase road safety, reduce speeding and raise public awareness about the need to slow down and obey the speed limit. The 25 additional cameras (one additional camera per ward) are expected to be operational in 2022 and will join the 50 cameras currently operating across Toronto.
City Council also directed Transportation Services to immediately advance work to expand the ASE program further at the earliest possible date, including a Request for Proposal that considers all possible technologies.
There are currently 50 ASE devices (two per ward) installed near schools in Community Safety Zones. The devices started enforcement in July 2020 and issued 85,138 tickets in 2020 and 251,410 tickets in 2021. Preliminary evaluation data from an ongoing study on the ASE program conducted by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) point to increased compliance and reduced speeding, demonstrating a positive impact on driver behaviour where the speed cameras were placed.
The total payable fine amount for ASE charges includes a set fine, which is determined by Schedule D under the Provincial Offences Act, a victim fine surcharge and applicable court costs. ASE tickets do not incur any demerit points and do not affect a person’s driving record.
The City has also requested the Province authorize the use of an Administrative Penalty System (APS) for both the Red Light Camera and Automated Speed Enforcement programs. An APS will allow for faster processing timelines and online service delivery and will build capacity in the court system for more serious offences. If approved by the Province, APS is expected to be implemented in 2023.
Read more information about ASE, how to pay fees and a map of all current and planned locations.
Quotes:
“I’m proud to have championed automated speed enforcement and the successful advocacy that led to the provincial government allowing Toronto and all municipalities to deploy this road safety tool on our streets. It’s clear that when these cameras go up, drivers slow down. Today’s decision by City Council will ensure a total of 75 speed cameras will now be delivering enforcement and start the work needed for a larger expansion of this program. We also continue to take other concrete steps towards reducing speeding in our city through lowering speed limits, improving road design, increased police enforcement and public education.”
– Mayor John Tory
“Road safety is a top priority in our city but speeding continues to be an issue. Adding 25 new speed cameras is an important step in making Toronto’s roads safer, especially for schoolchildren and other vulnerable road users.”
– Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
