Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has reiterated the city’s stance against Ontario’s intention to eliminate speed cameras, emphasizing their crucial role in safeguarding children around schools. Chow expressed concerns over the province’s proposal to abolish automated speed enforcement cameras through upcoming legislation, highlighting the necessity of these devices in ensuring the safety of children in school zones.
During a school zone safety summit at the city council chamber, Mayor Chow emphasized the importance of retaining speed cameras as a vital tool for protecting children and regulating driver speeds. She urged attendees to take action to preserve this safety measure, citing the significant impact these cameras have in reducing accidents and ensuring road safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
In a concerning statistic, Chow mentioned that 250 pedestrians and cyclists have suffered fatal or serious injuries on Toronto streets since 2024, underscoring the lethal consequences of speeding. The summit, organized by city councillors Mike Colle and Paula Fletcher, brought together concerned parents, transportation experts, and public health researchers from institutions like SickKids and TMU.
Colle, one of the summit hosts, expressed astonishment at the provincial plan to dismantle speed cameras, given their critical role in addressing speeding issues raised by residents, especially around schools. He highlighted the prevalence of speed cameras near educational institutions, with 150 cameras rotating among over 800 schools in Toronto to enhance road safety.
The summit also featured insights from Linda Rotham, an associate professor at TMU, who emphasized the effectiveness of speed cameras in reducing speeding incidents, particularly among the most reckless drivers. Rotham cited a study by SickKids and TMU showing substantial reductions in speed violations with the presence of speed cameras, emphasizing the importance of these devices in curbing speeding-related risks.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria suggested exploring alternative traffic-calming measures beyond speed cameras, such as speed bumps, to address speeding concerns. However, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has criticized speed cameras as a revenue-driven initiative, advocating for other measures like speed bumps and roundabouts to promote road safety.
The ongoing debate over speed cameras in Toronto reflects a broader discussion on balancing enforcement measures with traffic-calming strategies to enhance road safety and protect vulnerable road users, especially children in school zones.
