Ford expected to address future of speed cameras, London officials push back

After Premier Doug Ford announced a move to outlaw speed enforcement cameras, CTV’s Reta Ismail captured the local reaction in London.

Premier Doug Ford is expected to speak publicly Thursday morning in Vaughan about the future of automated speed enforcement cameras (ASE), a day after a Toronto newspaper reported his government is exploring legislative options to ban the traffic safety measure.

The expected announcement has drawn swift reaction in London, where several speed cameras have been installed in school zones in recent years in a bid to reduce speeding and improve safety.

“Before we had the cameras, we had people speeding down the street here off of Huron Street – even though we have a school here,” said Sam Tum, who lives across the street from a speed camera on Fallons Lane.

Ford’s stance marks a sharp reversal. In 2019, the province amended legislation to allow municipalities to install ASE cameras on local roads. But earlier this month, Ford described the devices as “nothing but a tax grab.”

That criticism doesn’t align with the position of Ontario police chiefs.

“We want to ensure that they are not revenue-generating cameras. That is not the intent,” said Mark Campbell, president of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. “They need to be placed where there is evidence to support their use, and that evidence generally comes from data.”

In London, there are currently seven ASE cameras operating across the city. In 2024, the ASE generated $500,000 in revenue for the City of London, however, officials say only about $105,000 remained after administrative and provincial costs were deducted.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis says it’s a misconception that municipalities benefit financially from speed camera enforcement.

“The city doesn’t get all of this money back. We don’t spend it on whatever we want,” Lewis said. “Again, I think this is something the premier could regulate. Say that all revenue goes back into road improvements. That would be fine. That’s what we’re doing in London.”

While Lewis acknowledges concerns about misuse in some municipalities, such as designating large areas as community safety zones to permit camera installation, he says eliminating the program altogether would be a mistake.

“There have been some bad actors,” he said. “But the province can fix this. They don’t have to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Regulate them through Ontario regulations — limit them to school zones if that’s what the premier wants.”

Currently, London’s ASE program is operated by an external contractor. City officials say there are no plans to expand it at this time.

At a separate press conference Monday in Russell, Ont., Ford hinted at alternative safety investments, promising new funding for traffic calming initiatives.

“We’re going to be giving municipalities across the province a lot of money to put in all sorts of street calming methods, from turning circles, to speed bumps, to flashing signs,” he said.

Premier Ford and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria are scheduled to speak about automated speed enforcement Thursday morning in Vaughan.