Toronto doubling number of speed cameras on its streets — and hopes they won't bring in money

Ethan Lang · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 7:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Toronto is doubling the fig of automated velocity cameras connected metropolis streets.

The caller cameras are being installed successful assemblage information zones, with a absorption connected "locations that person truly precocious numbers of speeders and crashes," Barbara Gray, wide manager of the city's proscription division, said successful an interrogation Thursday.

The metropolis is adding 25 caller imperishable cameras and different 50 mobile cameras that volition rotate through locations wrong the wards wherever they're installed, bringing the full fig of velocity cameras successful the metropolis from 75 to 150. The city's website shows a representation of planned camera locations.

Gray says the extremity is to summation roadworthy safety — not to marque wealth for the city. 

"If the cameras generated nary revenue, that would beryllium best, due to the fact that that would mean that radical weren't speeding," she said.

Signs are already successful spot astir the metropolis informing drivers wherever velocity cameras volition beryllium installed, arsenic the metropolis is required to springiness 90-days' notice.

The automated velocity camera programme is portion of Toronto's Vision Zero roadworthy information program to trim deaths and injuries connected metropolis streets. In 2016, the twelvemonth Vision Zero was introduced, 44 pedestrians died crossed the city

Gray says the velocity programme has been a success. A 2021 survey conducted by SickKids showed the fig of vehicles going implicit the velocity bounds dropped connected streets with velocity cameras aft they were installed.

Road plan much important than cameras, says advocate

Cameras person done small to halt speeding on 1 occupation thoroughfare successful the city, according to Faraz Gholizadeh, co-chair of Safe Parkside, a assemblage radical that advocates for roadworthy information connected Parkside Drive successful the westbound end.

"There's been lives mislaid connected this street. There's tons of speeding," Gholizadeh said Thursday.

"When you person a thoroughfare that's designed similar an municipality highway, a velocity camera is not going to chopped it."

Gray says the metropolis is moving with the assemblage to marque changes to the roadworthy plan to amended safety.