Why are some speed cameras staying up following provincial ban?

Speed cameras have been banned in Ontario, but some are still active. CTV’s Krista Simpson tells us what they’re being used for.

While speed cameras were banned in Ontario starting Nov. 14, some areas are not removing the devices just yet but instead, are using them to collect data. Waterloo Region is one of them.

A statement to CTV News explains that the vendor who the region leases the cameras from required 90 days notice to end the contract, which has now been given. The devices remain in the meantime and while they can no longer lead to tickets, they are gathering speed and traffic information.

It’s data that University of Waterloo planning professor Carrie Mitchell hopes to study.

“By looking at that we will be able to understand what worked, what didn’t and where,” she said.

Mitchell hopes to get at least a month’s worth of traffic data from areas that continue to collect it so she can compare it to the statistics from when the cameras were operational, and when available, from before the programs were put in place.

“I really just want to consolidate what’s already been made available and to look at what happens after the cameras are turned off for ticketing,” Mitchell said.

She notes that often cities like Toronto and Vaughan were used as examples to point to problems with speed camera programs, whereas in reality, about 40 municipalities across the province used them and may have had different experiences.

“Let’s see the public data on this, and let’s make informed decisions rather than knee-jerk reactions to a program that probably wasn’t working efficiently and could have been tweaked, but instead was banned.”

Mitchell’s plan is to create a report and make the numbers openly accessible.

“I’ve seen that the majority of folks in Ontario believe that these cameras are useful. And every study that I’ve seen shows that they are effective in reducing speeds. So, I don’t want this debate to end. I want it to continue with evidence,” Mitchell said.

Wellington County speed cameras

Wellington County’s speed cameras also remain in place for now.

County Engineer Don Kudo said images aren’t being gathered, just data on vehicle volumes and speed.

“Most municipalities do all kinds of traffic counting and speed monitoring on their road network all over the place. So, it will just be very similar to that,” said Kudo.

The cost to keep the cameras up there is $275 per month, each. Wellington county has 14 cameras.

The county’s roads committee would like to see data collected until Labour Day next year.

“Whether that’s with the current devices or with other traffic monitoring devices, that still has to be worked out,” Kudo said.

The road committee recommendation goes to county council next week.

Speed cameras in other areas

Guelph’s 12 mobile speed cameras were turned off Nov. 14 and removed by Nov. 18, reads a statement from Paul Hutchison, the city’s supervisor of traffic engineering.

Brantford intended to install five speed cameras in November, but that is no longer happening with the provincial ban.

Brant County said its two speed cameras are no longer active, and that the county is tracking traffic and speeding data using other methods.

New traffic-calming measures

In the meantime, municipalities are expected to put up new, temporary traffic calming measures to slow down drivers in areas where speed cameras used to be.

In Wellington County, Kudo said the signs are already up. “We have installed the temporary, oversized school zone signs that the province has specified.”

The Ontario government has set aside $42 million for municipalities that had speed cameras, in what’s named the Road Safety Initiatives Fund. The money is to be used to implement other traffic calming measures.

Waterloo Region’s share is $840,000.

Guelph is receiving $676,904, and Wellington County $210,000.

The City of Brantford is receiving $530,806. Brant County officials said at this stage it does not know what it will receive.

The province says municipalities will be able to apply for additional funding in the near future.