Ottawa drivers are speeding up in school zones since photo radar cameras were turned off by the Ontario government five months ago, with more than half of drivers exceeding the speed limit, according to the City of Ottawa. The Ontario government passed legislation last fall to ban automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras on roads across the province and required municipalities to turn off the cameras by Nov. 14, 2025. Municipalities need to install large new signs to slow down drivers in areas where photo radar cameras were located, with permanent, large signs with flashing lights to be in place by September. A report for the public works and infrastructure committee says the removal of speed cameras on Ottawa roads has “decreased speed compliance and increased high-end speeding” at former automated speed enforcement camera locations on Ottawa’s roads. Statistics show driver compliance with the posted speed limit at the eight original photo radar camera locations increased from 16 per cent to 87 per cent before the cameras were removed last fall. Staff say driver compliance dropped to 62 per cent at the photo radar locations one week after the cameras were turned off in November, and only 51 per cent of drivers complied with the speed limit three weeks after the cameras were removed. Driver compliance with the posted speed limit was 44 per cent eight weeks after the cameras were off, before dropping to 41 per cent of drivers following the posted speed limit 12 weeks after the cameras were removed, the report said. “Preliminary findings indicate that the removal of the (ASE) has significantly affected speed limit compliance and increased high-end speeding at former sites, suggesting a shift in driver behaviour,” staff said. The report said the number of vehicles caught “high end speeding” at camera locations increased from 0.3 per cent prior to the removal of the cameras at the eight original locations to 4.5 per cent three months after the automated speed enforcement cameras were deactivated. City staff say the data was gathered using the city’s traffic monitoring devices. “These units are deployed monthly at 15 school zone locations, where they record continuous vehicle speed and volume data over a 48-hour period,” said Christina Ferrante, section manager of transportation data collection and analytics, in a statement to CTV News Ottawa. “This method ensures a consistent and comparable dataset over time, allowing us to evaluate changes in speeding following the removal of the Automated Speed Enforcement cameras.” Coun. Tim Tierney, chair of the public works and infrastructure committee, said on X Tuesday evening, “We’re seeing exactly what many expected.” “With automated speed enforcement in place, driver compliance reached as high as 87 per cent. Today, that number has dropped to 41 per cent. That’s a significant decline, and a clear setback when it comes to road safety in our communities.” Tierney said the city needs to “identify and implement alternative measures that ensure drivers slow down and feel safe on their streets.” “It’s a pretty dramatic drop. You look at how effective they were at 87 per cent compliance and now it’s in the 40s and still sinking pretty quickly,” Tierney told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal. “Obviously, our main concern is making sure that we slow people down. At the end of the day, the cameras are gone – that ship has sailed, so we’ve been active to get the signs installed.” Tierney said the Ottawa Police Service has boosted traffic officers to enforce speeding on municipal streets, and the city is exploring other options to slow drivers down in school zones. “The ultimate goal is to slow it down. I don’t care if it’s a cop or if it’s some sort of light,” Tierney said, adding a light “is not going to work.” The City of Ottawa launched the automated speed enforcement camera program in the summer of 2020, with cameras initially installed in eight school zones. The original eight locations were: The city had 60 photo radar cameras in school zones and high-speed locations before the cameras were deactivated last fall. Staff said data collection for speed limit compliance is planned at all former automated speed enforcement camera locations this spring and summer, once new signage is stalled. The report does note that the data indicating fewer drivers are following the posted speed limit at school zones “do not yet reflect the impact of the new signage required under Bill 56, which continues to be installed at affected locations.” Tierney says the signs “might be a good reminder,” but it won’t slow people down. “You don’t even have to look at the data, which is pretty black and white. It says it straight up, it’s increased dramatically. You look in front of any school right now during school hours, the speeding has increased dramatically,” Tierney said. “That’s our main goal is to slow that down.” A total of 1,143,240 speeding tickets were issued through Ottawa’s automated speed enforcement camera program between July 2020 and November 2025, including 279,595 tickets in 2025 and 383,830 tickets in 2024. In a statement issued to CTV News on Wednesday evening, Dakota Brasier, director of media relations for the Ministry of Transportation, said “too many municipalities were using speed cameras as a cash grab rather than a safety tool.” Brasier said the ban was aimed increasing affordability for taxpayers while maintaining safety through alternative traffic calming measures. Brasier says the province has provided $210 million to help municipalities improve safety in school and community safety zones. “This fund supports practical and enduring traffic calming measures like raised crosswalks, roundabouts and high visibility signage that actually slow vehicles down,” Brasier wrote. City of Ottawa to lose $15 million The Ontario government’s move to shut down the photo radar cameras will cost the city approximately $15 million in revenue from speeding tickets, according to staff. Revenue generated from photo radar camera tickets supports Ottawa’s Road Safety Action Plan. “The loss of this major funding source requires updates to road safety program funding, including reducing the 2026 Road Safety Action Plan capital program from $15 million to $7.5 million,” staff said, adding all automated speed enforcement funded operating costs will be eliminated from the budget in 2027. The report shows Adult School Crossing Guard and Temporary Traffic Calming programs launched with funding from the photo radar cameras will be maintained, shifting to citywide tax funding next year. The $1 million allocation to the Ottawa Police Service from photo radar camera revenue will be addressed as part of the 2027 budget, staff said. The Ontario government is providing one-time funding to municipalities to support road safety enhancements at locations where photo radar cameras were previously located. Ottawa will receive up to $23.8 million in funding. According to staff, the cash will fund signage, speed display boards, speed humps and speed cushions at former photo radar locations. The city is looking at options for applications to fund the Adult School Crossing Guard Program, new Traffic Control Devices and Pedestrian Crossover Programs, and hardwired flashing beacon installations in school areas and. The cost of installing provincially mandated signs at speed camera locations near school zones will cost the city $1.8 million. Residents noticing more speeding Residents who live near Smyth Road, where a photo radar camera used to be, say they are noticing that drivers are not following the speed limit. “Speeding is an issue around schools. We’re definitely worried about the lack of speeding cameras that because there was a speeding camera there before, and now there’s not,” said Janelle Moyle. “Everyone was aware of the speed camera. And I think that because we know that it’s no longer a factor. I think that drivers take advantage of it and it doesn’t really matter how fast they go.” Linda St. Onge walks down Smyth to get to appointments near the General Campus of the Ottawa Hospital. “it’s picked up quite a bit. I find people are going like at least here now easily 60 and 70 (km/h). They’re going and it’s almost like it’s a racetrack now it’s how I’m feeling!” On Katimavik Road in Kanata, residents like Tenille Young say their worry is growing. “Our eight-year-old is not allowed to cross (the street). Her friend just lives kitty corner, but we don’t let her go on her own, we make sure that the cars are stopped fully, before we go, and that we’ve made eye contact with the drivers in all locations. We’ve seen being at that stop sign and cars not stopping,” Young said. “We noticed when the speed camera was up, the cars were paying closer attention. But now that they’re gone, I’m not sure if I doubt that they’re paying attention at all.” With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Leah Larocque
