On the streets of Toronto, they’re being cut down left and right. At Queen’s Park, Premier Doug Ford has openly stated he’s “dead against” them and may take action to have them permanently removed. But Brampton is touting the success of its Automated Speed Enforcement (ACE) program, releasing statistics on Thursday that show their effectiveness in getting drivers to slow down.
At sites with an ASE camera, the City said there’s been an average speed reduction of nine km/h.
At five of the sites, drivers have slowed down by more than 20 km/h on average, from an average speed of 62 km/h to 39 km/h.
Other findings include:
- Average 38 per cent increase in speed limit compliance, with 13 sites showing compliance gains of more than 70 per cent.
- Main Street South reached a speed limit compliance of 96 per cent.
- 86 per cent of Brampton residents support the use of ASE in Community Safety Zones.
After first launching in 2020, Brampton’s ASE program has expanded to 185 sites across the city, and Mayor Patrick Brown has no qualms about their presence.
“Brampton’s recent data clearly shows that Automated Speed Enforcement is helping to slow drivers down and make our streets safer for everyone,” Brown said in a release Thursday. “This program is one of many tools we use to improve road safety and protect our most vulnerable residents, including children and seniors. Our goal is and has always been to change driver behaviour and prevent collisions, creating safer neighbourhoods across the city.”
Toronto cameras plagued by vandalism
While the City of Brampton celebrates the success of the program, they’ve been more of a headache in Toronto after a seemingly never-ending string of vandalism targetting the devices.
In one night alone earlier this week, 16 speed cameras were toppled, and some locations, like Parkside Drive, have seen repeated vandalism. In the case of the Parkside camera, it’s been chopped down seven times.
In total at least 35 cameras have been knocked down at sites across Toronto this year.
Despite that frequency, police have yet to identify or arrest any suspects, only releasing a few grainy images.
Rather than condemn the cutdowns, Ontario Premier Doug Ford lashed out at the presence of the cameras, saying he was “dead against them.”
Discussing the issue at Queen’s Park on Tuesday, Ford hinted that his government could take action to get rid of the contentious cameras.
“This is nothing but a tax grab,” he said.
“Hopefully the cities will get rid of them … or I’m going to help them get rid of them very shortly.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, like Brown in Brampton, had only good things to say about the cameras, touting them as devices that can save lives.
“Speed kills,” Chow said Tuesday.
“I’ve consoled mothers, I’ve consoled widows, I’ve gone to memorials. So we do know speed kills.”
“I will let the premier make his own decisions, what I do know is there is clear evidence that the speed cameras slow cars down and when cars obey the traffic laws we save lives.”
