Ontario city stops speed camera use as Ford pushes for end to ‘tax grab’
The City of Vaughan has formally dropped its use of automated speed enforcement cameras as Ontario’s premier urges municipalities that have them to end the “tax grab.”
Vaughan councillors voted in favour of a motion brought forward by Mayor Stephen Del Duca on Monday, ending the use of its speed cameras, which were put in use in April. However, York Region’s speed cameras are still operating in the city, though council will request the regional government suspend the use of them on Vaughan’s streets.
Vaughan paused its use of speed cameras in June after 32,000 speeding tickets were handed out in just three weeks earlier this year. Del Duca put forward that motion to pause their use until September because council was due to receive a report on ways the city could create more effective signage about the presence of cameras.
Del Duca said in a statement Monday Vaughan needs to “strike the right balance” between protecting citizens and ensuring there is no “unfair financial burden placed on residents at a time of financial uncertainty.”
He added it that with the speed cameras, it was “clear the balance tips too heavily” toward financial penalties.
“That is why I brought forward a motion to end the program, which was approved today by Council, and we will be asking York Region to consider suspending their Automated Speed Enforcement program on Regional roads in Vaughan,” Del Duca said.
“I will continue to work with Council and staff to fight against reckless driving, reduce speeding and protect all road users and pedestrians.”
He added his motion also requested consideration of additional traffic-calming measures to be addressed through the city’s 2026 budget process.
On the same day that 16 speed cameras were chopped down in Toronto this month, Premier Doug Ford urged municipalities to get rid of them entirely – or else he would force them to comply.
“It’s just a tax grab, and they should take out those cameras, all of them,” Ford 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.”
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario told Ford in a letter later that week there is real evidence the cameras improve road safety, including a July study from SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University that found they reduced speeding by 45 per cent in Toronto.
“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.”
Toronto issued about $40 million in fines from automated speed cameras in 2024, and so far this year, the total is already more than $45 million, a city spokesperson told The Canadian Press last week.
Toronto police officers are investigating the rash of camera vandalism and released grainy images of two people who appear to be taking down one camera on Parkside Drive, which has been cut down seven times.
— with files from Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello
globalnews
