22 Ontario Municipal Leaders Push Back Against Ford’s Speed Camera Ban
A group of 22 municipal leaders — including 20 mayors, a deputy mayor, and a county warden — have signed a joint letter urging Premier Doug Ford to reconsider his government’s plan to ban automated speed enforcement (ASE) across Ontario.
The leaders, representing municipalities from Brampton to Parry Sound, argue that eliminating speed cameras would jeopardize school zone safety and reverse years of progress in traffic enforcement.
“For most of us, the intention has always been to install cameras in school zones to protect our most vulnerable residents — our children,” the letter reads. “A total ban on ASE would reverse years of progress on safety in school zones, place more pressure on police, and endanger lives.”
The municipalities proposed several compromises to preserve ASE programs, including:
Warning tickets for first-time offenders
Speed thresholds before ticketing
Limited operation hours during school times
A seven-day grace period after a driver’s first fine
They also called on the province to reimburse costs if the ban proceeds, covering cancelled contracts, severance, and lost safety program funding.
Ford Calls Cameras a ‘Tax Grab’
Premier Ford has dismissed speed cameras as an ineffective “tax grab,” promising instead to fund physical traffic-calming measures like speed bumps and raised crosswalks. His government legalized ASE programs in 2019 but now plans to replace them with community safety funds.
Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, one of the letter’s lead signatories, said her city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars installing six cameras that haven’t yet issued fines. “Our letter is really a plea — an SOS to the premier. Save our schoolkids,” she said.
Study Shows Speed Cameras Work
A 2025 study by SickKids Hospital and Toronto Metropolitan University found speed cameras reduced speeding by 45% in 250 school zones.
“These are not just statistics — they represent fewer injuries, fewer fatalities and greater peace of mind,” the mayors said, citing support from the Ontario Traffic Council and Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.
While some municipalities like Toronto and Brampton have pledged to keep their programs, others, including Vaughan, have removed cameras after issuing over 30,000 tickets in three weeks.
