Speed compliance increased to 81 per cent near Ottawa’s photo radar cameras within 3 years: City data

The photo radar camera on St. Laurent Boulevard, between Noranda Avenue and Clarke Avenue, issued 26,428 tickets in 2023. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa)

The percentage of drivers complying with the speed limits near Ottawa’s photo radar cameras increased from 16 per cent to 81 per cent within three years of the cameras being installed, according to the City of Ottawa.

Premier Doug Ford announced last week that the Ontario government will introduce legislation this fall to ban the use of municipal automated speed enforcement cameras, calling the cameras “nothing more than a cash grab.”

• 1 million tickets issued by Ottawa’s photo radar cameras since 2020: Here are the hot spots for tickets

Ottawa installed eight automated speed enforcement cameras in July 2020, and there are now 60 cameras installed in community safety zones, school zones and “high-speed locations.”

In a memo to Council Thursday morning, Public Works general manager Alain Gonthier said prior to the first eight cameras being installed, 16 per cent of drivers were complaint with the speed limits at the locations. Gonthier says compliance increased to 57 per cent within three months of the cameras being activated, and to 81 per cent within three years.

Gonthier says the percentage of high-end speeders travelling more than 15 km/h over the posted speed limit was 0.7 per cent three years after the cameras were installed.

“The City’s Automated Speed Enforcement Program has made significant progress in reducing speeds, particularly in school areas where vulnerable road users, such as children, are present,” Gonthier said.

“Progress in speed reduction also represents an important and positive change in driver behaviour and road safety culture as people are choosing to better comply with speed limits.”

The first eight photo radar cameras were located on Longfields Drive, Innes Road, Bayshore Drive, Katimavik Road, Watters Drive, Ogilvie Road, Smyth Road and Meadowlands Drive.

Gonthier said the photo radar camera locations near school zones were based on a data-driven approach, “taking into consideration compliance with the posted speed limit, the number of speeders travelling 15 km/h or more over the posted speed limit” and collision history.

“Data is continually being collected at all ASE sites and it has shown a significant reduction in driving speeds and an increase in compliance with the posted speed limit across all camera sites when compared to data collected before the cameras were installed,” Gonthier said.

Road safety program funding

More than one million tickets have been issued for speeding through the automated speed enforcement program in Ottawa since its launch in 2020.

Gonthier said the photo radar program has collected $97.5 million in fines since 2020, with $18.3 million remitted to the Ontario government as the mandatory Victim Surcharge Fine.

Gonthier adds of the remaining $79.2 million, $37.6 million has been used to operate and administer the automated speed enforcement camera program and $41.6 million has been allocated to Road Safety Action Plan initiatives.

The memo outlines some of the things the photo radar camera funding has been used for:

• Increase the ward envelopes for temporary traffic calming measures like flex stakes and speed display boards for this term of Council
• Increase the number of Adult School Crossing Guards annually
• Implement engineered traffic calming measures in school areas
• Reconstruct high volume cycling safety locations
• Implement protected left turns, including required roadway modifications where needed
• Supplement existing capital budgets to implement new traffic signals, roundabouts and pedestrian crossovers
• Implement accessibility upgrades at pedestrian facilities to address non-compliant locations
• Implement rumble strips, safety edges and gravel shoulder improvements for rural roads
• Implement enhancements for rural stop control and curve locations
• Reconstruct rural skewed intersections
• Implement speed limit changes through Gateway Speed Limit signage
• Support adherence to Transport Canada at-grade rail crossing regulations
• Provide road safety training to all staff who make decisions about the roadway
• Support Ottawa Police Service for traffic safety enforcement

Gonthier says city staff will carefully review the details of the proposed legislation to ban the use of photo radar cameras and assess the potential financial impact.

“Staff will also be reviewing the potential impact on staffing in accordance with City processes, and supporting staff during this time remains a priority,” Gonthier said.

“The City remains committed to keeping roads safe in Ottawa and will continue to work with the province to identify and implement effective tools that protect all road users.”