Councillor pens letter to premier: ‘Public safety must never become a casualty of politics’

A Region of Waterloo councillor who recently put forward a motion to pause new speed cameras because Doug Ford wants to get rid of them is now urging the premier to reconsider.

Councillor Colleen James posted a video message on Instagram, Thursday about Ford’s response to 22 mayors and regional chairs calling for compromise on automated speed camera policies, not an outright ban.

Those mayors included Waterloo’s Dorothy McCabe, and Cambridge’s Jan Liggett.

James said she’s read Ford’s response from earlier this week to those 22 leaders, and she says it was “both disappointing and deeply concerning for communities like ours in the Region of Waterloo.”

“Public safety must never become a casualty of politics,” she added. “From the start, many municipal leaders, mayors, and councillors have been clear: speed cameras are not about revenue, they’re about saving lives.”

Ford has recently and consistently called speed cameras a cash grab and has instead proposed funding for other traffic calming measures. It was his own government that first approved of such cameras several years ago.

“Mr. Premier, leadership means collaboration. You have the opportunity to refine a program that works, not dismantle one that protects lives,” she said.

“Let’s come together to create a fair, province-wide framework that prioritizes safety, consistency, and community confidence. Residents across Waterloo Region have made it clear: they want safer streets, slower speeds, and stronger accountability.”