Regional council accelerates addition of 16 new speed cameras

Regional council approved a plan on Wednesday to add 16 more Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) sites to school zones around the Region by the end of 2023.

Originally, the plan was to install eight new speed cameras by the end of the year with another eight being added in 2024. However, regional staff determined it was feasible to add 16 this year.

There are three main purposes of the ASE program; to increase active transportation, to improve road safety, and to improve the health of children.

There are currently 16 speed cameras set up around the region which have been touted as being successful in slowing down speeding.

To pay for the acceleration, $362,000 will be advanced in project expenditure from 2024 to 2023. Mathieu Goetzke told council at a May 9 committee meeting, that eventually the costs would be recouped.

“We don’t expect revenue, for example, to cover the entire cost for this year,” he said. “In the medium run, yes we expect the revenue of the tickets will be able to cover at least the operating costs.”

Next month, staff will again provide a report to council on the feasibility of adding more cameras in the future.

They will be looking at adding enforcement sites at all school zones in the region, as well as using community safety zones for further ASE expansion.

Adding more cameras could have an impact on gaining revenue in the medium term.

“The upfront cost is significant in installing the sites, so if we double the sites next year or we double the expansion, then we will continue to have to put in a little more upfront money, than the revenue that will grow,” Goetzke said.

Council also agreed on Thursday to move up the start date for a new Traffic Engineering Technologist to as early as June 1 to improve the likelihood that all 16 cameras are installed by the end of the year.