The Ford government will introduce legislation on Thursday that will eliminate speed cameras in Ontario, CityNews has confirmed.
A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday. Premier Doug Ford will be joined by the Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria.
The decision comes after Ford spent weeks slamming the cameras at various news conferences.
“They’ve taken hundreds and hundreds of millions out of taxpayers’ pockets,” Ford said last week of the cameras. “God knows the government gouges people enough on their taxes and every other penny they can get off them. You wanna slow down traffic, stay tuned, next week I’m going to show you.”
It comes after dozens of speed cameras have been damaged on Toronto streets over the last six months, including one on Parkside Drive that has been cut down at least six times.
Jess Spieker with Friends and Families for Safe Streets said she believes the premier is awarding vandals by introducing this legislation.
“Our premier seems to be taking acts of criminal vandalism like the cutting down of lifesaving speed cameras as if they’re policy demands and acquiescing,” said Spieker.
Ford has suggested road design changes like more speed bumps, big signs and flashing lights are more effective ways to slow traffic.
“Those don’t work. they’ve had 100 years to work and we have a road safety crisis on our hands,” said Spieker.
“Every single day in this province between one and two people are killed in a preventable crash. Those are shattered and devastated families, those are broken hearts,” she added. “I think this is the most nauseating form of populist politics where he is willing to get people killed to do something he thinks plays well with his voter base.”
Speed cameras are also not as unpopular as the premier believes them to be.
A 2025 CAA survey of 1,500 Ontario drivers found 73 per cent actually support the use of speed cameras and 76 per cent say they deter speeding. A recent SickKids study also found they cut speeding around Toronto schools nearly in half.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has been supportive of the cameras despite the vandalism.
“Speed kills. Torontonians, especially those most vulnerable, like children, need to be safe,” said Chow.
Brampton has also touted the success of speed cameras.
“Brampton’s recent data clearly shows that Automated Speed Enforcement is helping to slow drivers down and make our streets safer for everyone,” Mayor Patrick Brown said in a release earlier this month.
Ontario’s Police Chiefs have penned a letter to Ford, insisting the cameras save lives.
“Fatalities are down. The roadways are statistically becoming safer … because of all the different things we’re doing, and speed cameras happens to be one of those things,” said Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw.
“A fine for speeding is a voluntary payment that you choose to make by choosing to speed. anybody who does not wish to pay these fines is perfectly free to obey the law and drive safely,” added Spieker.
With files from Michael Talbot
