Ontario’s police chiefs are pushing back against Premier Doug Ford’s plan to scrap automated speed cameras, telling the government they’ve been proven to reduce dangerous speeding in towns and cities.
In a statement issued Thursday morning, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police said it supported the cameras Premier Ford has called a “tax grab,” arguing they have been “proven to reduce speeding.”
Ford kicked off a plan to force local municipalities to remove automated speed cameras from their streets earlier this month, arguing they don’t improve safety and are mainly used to raise money for city hall.
“It’s just a tax grab, and they should take out those cameras, all of them,” he said on Sept. 9. “If you want to slow down traffic in school, you put the big, huge signs, big flashing lights, crossing area, people will slow down. This is nothing but a tax grab.”
A July study from SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University found speed cameras reduced speeding by 45 per cent in Toronto. But on Tuesday, Ford brushed away the idea that speed cameras improve road safety.
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“The only thing proven is that they take money out of taxpayers’ pockets,” the premier claimed.
The leaders of Ontario’s police forces disagree and urged municipal and provincial leaders to use the cameras strategically to keep roads safe.
“These tools are especially deployed in school zones and community safety zones, where slowing down saves lives and prevents serious injuries,” the police chiefs wrote.
“Ontario’s police leaders view ASE not as a revenue tool, but as a traffic safety tool. Its purpose is deterrence and prevention — helping to change driver behaviour and reduce collisions. By complementing traditional police enforcement, ASE also frees up police resources to focus on other pressing public safety priorities.”
Support from Ontario’s police chiefs followed a similar letter from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, which told Ford there is real evidence that the cameras improve road safety.
“The evidence shows that if (automated speed enforcement) cameras are removed, speeds will increase in community safety zones and more pedestrians will be at risk,” association president Robin Jones wrote in the letter.
“Instead, we strongly recommend that you work with municipalities to ensure we have the tools we need to ensure road safety.”
It’s unclear if the latest intervention will sway the premier. Ford has been clear that he intends to move ahead with scrapping the cameras — and may table legislation that forces municipalities to do away with them.
One Ontario city has already shown it is willing to accommodate the demand, removing its program altogether.
This week, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca called an emergency council meeting to scrap the city’s speed camera program, drawing praise from the premier.
“I’m proud of Mayor Del Duca and I’ll be making an announcement with Mayor Del Duca,” he said, without providing specifics on the announcement.
“There’s so many ways to reduce and slow down traffic (other than) gouging people when they go three kilometres over the speed limit. It’s unfortunate some mayors decided to go down that avenue, but we’ll work with the mayors.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
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