Speed cameras are working to keep streets safe amid calls for removals in Brampton, city says

The city of Brampton is pushing back against calls to shut down its expanded speed camera program amid an online petition urging for the removal of all cameras across the city.

The petition launched earlier this month has ballooned to over 6,600 signatures and says the city’s push to add more automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras has led to residents “living under constant surveillance.”

But at a Community Safety Telephone Town Hall on Thursday, the city says 86 per cent of attendees said they support the use of ASE cameras in Community Safety Zones and says data shows “the facts are clear, ASE works.”

New data from a CAA South Central Ontario survey released earlier this week showed 73 per cent of Ontario drivers said they slow down when nearing a speed camera, and 52 per cent said they’re unlikely to speed up after passing a speed camera zone – up from 44 per cent in 2023.

And in Brampton, ASE data shows vehicles drop up to 18 km/h in areas with ASE cameras.

“These are not just numbers, slower speeds translate to fewer accidents, safer streets and saved lives,” the city says.

Speed cameras can be found in Community Safety Zones and common problem areas around Brampton.

Fines increase depending on the driver’s speed, with the lowest rate being $5 per kilometre plus costs for drivers speeding between 1 and 19 km over the limit, ranging up to $19.50 per kilometre.

Last year, Brampton City Council gave the go-ahead to hire dozens of new enforcement officers and more than triple the number of speed cameras on the roads, with a report showing the amendments would cost some $5.97 million.

There are some 150 ASE cameras across Brampton.

Brampton Mayor Brown said he shared the meeting attendees concerns, saying “Brampton has zero tolerance for speeding in areas where people are most at risk”

RELATED: ‘Ditch the speed cameras’ petition now at over 5K signatures in Brampton

“These are places where children play, seniors cross the street and families walk to school. We will not compromise when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable. ASE is working. It is slowing drivers down, preventing collisions and saving lives,” Brown said in a release.

Brampton has also brought ASE ticking in-house, opening a new processing centre in Brampton last year that the city says will help deter speeding, increase road safety, and create more revenue.

But the city says the ASE program’s goal “is not to penalize drivers, but to encourage positive changes to driving habits, eliminate dangerous speeding and reduce the likelihood of serious or fatal collisions.”

“Speed limit enforcement is key to behaviour change and individuals who drive at or near the speed limit will not receive a ticket,” the city says.

Meanwhile, the citizen-led petition says residents already dealing with an affordability crisis, rising taxes and inflation “cannot afford to have their hard earned money siphoned through automated ticketing systems.”

More than 6,680 people had signed the petition as of Friday at around 1:30 p.m., demanding:

• An immediate halt to the installation of any new speed cameras
• Immediate removal of all currently installed speed enforcement cameras in Brampton.
• Full public disclosure on revenue generated from these cameras, and how it has been used.
• Implementation of fair, transparent public consultation before any future enforcement measures are introduced.