Speed cameras across the province will soon disappear from city streets after the Ford government officially banned the devices.
Earlier this month, the province introduced Bill 56, the “Building a More Competitive Economy Act,” a legislation meant to cut red tape and speed up major project approvals. The bill also included a move to end municipal speed cameras, which it says would protect taxpayers.
The bill was passed on Thursday, after it was fast-tracked through the legislature, with the government limiting public consultations and debate. The bill was voted 69-41, with the support of all Progressive Conservative MPPs in attendance.
The ban comes just one month after Premier Doug Ford called the devices “a cash grab,” despite pushback from groups, including dozens of mayors across Ontario municipalities, who say the devices improve safety, especially within school zones.
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But the government has said it will instead focus on “alternative traffic-calming measures,” such as speed bumps, speed cushions and roundabouts, as well as enhanced signage and education campaigns.
“Speed cameras don’t slow anyone down unless you’re in the community and you get dinged a few times. But it doesn’t make the place safer. Our solution makes community safer, theirs doesn’t,” Ford said on Thursday, according to media reports.
MPP Alexa Gilmour argued in Queen’s Park on Thursday that the ban compromises public safety, and that the vast majority of Torontonians are in support of speed cameras.
Several Ontarians have mixed reactions to the ban and are expressing their thoughts online.
“Good,” one user on Reddit wrote. “Speed cameras are mainly designed to collect money, not make roads safer. Some of the speed limits are downright ridiculous too.”
“This will definitely have the impact of increasing speeding in community safety zones, which will absolutely lead to an increase in injuries and child death,” another user said.
“Cameras will fine someone, but speed bumps will actively deter it as it happens. They are the better idea for school zones,” another person argued. “I don’t mind also having the cameras, but I don’t think that removing cameras will have a drastic effect on school zone deaths if speed bumps remain in place.”
