165,000 tickets issued by speed cameras in Mississauga; mayor says program is working

Speed cameras have significantly improved road safety in Mississauga school zones and are not simply a “cash grab,” the city’s mayor said in a “strong letter” to Ontario Premier Doug Ford imploring him to reconsider his decision to ban the devices across the province.

More specifically, Mayor Carolyn Parrish wrote in the letter dated last Friday, automated speed enforcement cameras have been effective in keeping kids, older adults and others safe in some 200 school-area community safety zones across Mississauga since they were first put into use in 2021.

“This program is an important road safety measure that has proven effective at reducing speeds. We ask that you reconsider a full ban of the program and continue to allow cameras in school zones,” the mayor said in her correspondence to the Premier, sent on behalf of city council. “This ensures they remain an effective tool to improve road safety and not act as a ‘cash grab’.”

Mississauga and other Ontario municipalities have lined up to take issue with Ford’s announcement last Thursday that the province will introduce legislation in October to ban the use of automated speed enforcement cameras.

Premier says speed cameras a “cash grab”

“At a time when governments at all levels should be doing everything they can to lower costs and make life more affordable, too many municipalities are using speed cameras as a cash grab,” Ford said at a press conference last week. “Enough is enough. Instead of making life more expensive by sending speeding tickets to drivers weeks after the fact, we’re supporting road safety measures that will prevent speeding in the first place, keep costs down and keep our streets safe.”

Under the Ontario government’s plan, a new provincial fund will help municipalities implement alternative road safety measures such as speed bumps, roundabouts, raised crosswalks and curb extensions, as well as public education and improved signage, to slow down drivers.

If passed, the proposed legislation will ban the use of ASE cameras immediately.

Banning ASE cameras “a dangerous decision”

In a post to social media late last week, Mississauga Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo called the commitment by Ford and the provincial government to eliminate the anti-speeding devices “a dangerous decision” that will compromise road safety — particularly in school zones.

Parrish said at last week’s city council meeting she was going to send the “strong letter” to the Premier asking for the speed cameras to remain in school zones “and let him do what he wants with the rest of it.”

The mayor points to statistics collected by City of Mississauga staff that show the ASE camera program has done its job in slowing down speeders in school zones.

Since the program was launched in Mississauga in June 2021, 165,044 tickets have been issued to speeders, or about 41,000 tickets per year across 200 school-area community safety zones, city figures show.

Mayor Carolyn Parrish and city council sent a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford asking that speed cameras remain in school zones should the larger program be eliminated.

Furthermore, the average ticket for speeding is for 16 km/h over the posted 30 or 40 km/h speed limit — and not for just barely exceeding the limit by five to 10 km/h, as Ford suggested in his earlier comments.

“Shockingly,” Parrish added in her letter, “we have given out 451 tickets for people going 50 km/h over the posted speed limit in school zones. The highest rate of speed was 147 km/h in a 30 km/h zone. This is incredibly reckless driving that puts the lives of the community at risk.”

Additionally, Mississauga has seen a “speed reduction of 9 km/h and compliance with the posted speed limit rise by 178 per cent while the cameras are operating,” the mayor’s letter reads. “We even continue to see speeds reduced; even when the cameras have been removed (to be relocated elsewhere), they change driver behaviour in the area (where they were moved from).

“I’m also pleased to note that in the areas where the cameras have been installed, there have been zero fatal collisions and only one non-fatal injury,” Parrish said. “This means the program is working as intended, keeping people safe by reducing speeds.”

Not a “cash grab” in Mississauga, mayor says

In closing her letter, the mayor said she understands Ford’s frustration “with these cameras being seen as a cash grab,” but that’s not the case in Mississauga.

“Please do not eliminate a program that is having such a positive impact on road safety. As part of a much larger suite of tools, ASE cameras can protect our kids and older adults and reduce speeding in school zones. I think we can all agree that this is the right thing to do.”

Mississauga currently has 22 ASE cameras that are rotated through some 200 community safety zones in the city.

City officials across the board have said the speed cameras have proven effective and in June 2024 they renewed the contract for 22 existing cameras and signed on to add five dozen more in annual installments through 2028.

Earlier this month, Ford described the speed cameras in Toronto as nothing more than a cash grab and said he’d like to see municipalities get rid of the devices.

Under the ASE program, speeding drivers receive tickets in the mail after having their licence plates photographed by the on-street cameras.

As they move the cameras from one location to the next, officials note new sites are marked with clear signs at least 90 days before the cameras are installed, and while they are in operation.

Additionally, an online map of camera locations is posted on the city’s website.