Ontario Premier Doug Ford is set to soon ban speed cameras across the province, but is now musing about “cameras on crime” instead to target stolen cars and home invasion suspects.
Ford has announced his government will introduce legislation next month to prohibit the use of speed cameras across the province.
Various regions that use the cameras, as well as a study by the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University, have data showing they reduce speeding but Ford disagrees, calling the cameras a “cash grab” for municipalities.
He says he has no problem with red light cameras because “racing through a red light” causes serious accidents.
Speaking Monday at an unrelated press conference in Hamilton — alongside Mayor Andrea Horwath, who supports the use of speed cameras — Ford used a question about those cameras to pivot to talking about crime.
“I was asking the mayor about crime as well, because I want to start introducing cameras on crime, if approved by residents,” Ford said.
“Certain areas around Ontario are just getting hammered, York Region, certain parts of Etobicoke, Peel Region, and up in Halton as well, Durham, so we’re going to be working on that. And I’m wondering if we can use those cameras to identify stolen cars as well.”
NDP Leader Marit Stiles said neither she nor anyone else has any idea of what Ford is talking about.
“I think he’s throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what’s going to stick, and it’s all fallen down everybody’s heads,” she said.
She suggested Ford continually throws out new ideas off the top of his head in order to distract from talking about real issues.
York Regional Police recently announced an expansion of their CCTV systems to help detect stolen licence plates.
Ford said the cameras he has in mind would only be used in willing communities.
“If you don’t want cameras for security reasons — I know a lot of people have home cameras as well — then we won’t put it in,” he said.
“We’ll only put those cameras in if the city or the town wants it in, and then the community has to give a green light as well. But I think they’re superb.”
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario is calling on Ford to leave decisions on speed cameras up to individual cities and towns, saying they are concerned about “continued provincial overreach.”
“This should be a local decision,” the association wrote on its website. “Our goal is to advocate for working with the province to improve — not ban — the (speed camera) program.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2025.
