Fewer photo radar tickets result in $1 million shortfall in Ottawa’s budget revenue

A new photo radar camera has been installed on King Edward Avenue at Bruyere Street. The camera issued 7,500 speeding tickets in its first month of operation. (CTV News Ottawa)

Drivers slowing down around Ottawa’s photo radar cameras resulted in less revenue flowing into the City of Ottawa’s coffers through the first three months of the year.

The quarterly financial report for the finance and corporate services committee says a $1.5 million deficit in the Traffic Services department through the first three months of the year is “primarily due” to the automated speed enforcement program.

“Revenues for the period were lower-than-anticipated as a result of inclement weather and changes in driver behaviour,” staff said. “Any surplus or deficit in the automated speed enforcement program at year-end will be offset in the Road Safety Reserve.”

• These were Ottawa’s busiest photo radar cameras in March

A total of 81,090 speeding tickets were issued through the automated speed enforcement camera program in the first three months of 2025, down from 85,911 tickets in the January-March period in 2024.

New statistics from the City of Ottawa show 19,582 tickets were issued through the automated speed enforcement camera program in February. It was the fewest number of speeders caught by photo radar cameras in a month since November 2023, when 19,445 speeding tickets were issued.

As of the end of March, 60 photo radar cameras were in operation in community safety zones, school zones and high-speed areas across Ottawa. There are plans to install 24 new photo radar cameras on roads across the city in 2025.

Revenue collected through the automated speed enforcement camera program supports Ottawa’s Road Safety Action Plan and is reinvested into road safety initiatives for all road users.

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