Local speed enforcement cameras in Toronto issued over 22,000 tickets in just one month, City officials announced Tuesday.
On July 6, all of the City's 50 speed cameras -- two for each ward -- began issuing tickets on local and arterial roads, including those near schools. Between July 6 and August 5, one month following the start of tickets being issued, a total of 22,301 tickets were issued to drivers.
“This data tells a frustrating story but I’m confident it will ultimately show over time a change in behaviour,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory in a statement.
“Right now, it does show the need for automated speed enforcement across our city, and particularly near our school communities. For those who hate getting a ticket or dislike these cameras, I have some simple advice to avoid getting a ticket: simply follow the posted speed limit.”
READ: Where Every Speed Camera is Located in Toronto (MAP)
Officials said the highest ticket issued was for $718 after a driver was detected going 89 km/h on Renforth Drive near Lafferty Street (Ward 2 – Etobicoke Centre). The posted speed limit is 40 km/h. The camera on Renforth Drive not only issued the highest fine, it also issued the most tickets at 2,786, representing 12.5% of all tickets.
According to the data, the number of repeat offenders during the first month of operation was 2,239. The most frequent repeat offender received a total of 12 tickets for speeding at Crow Trail near Bradstone Square (Ward 23 – Scarborough North).
The City released the figures on the same day Ontario students began returning to school. Toronto officials said this marks the first time in the City’s history that the speed enforcement cameras are fully operational as back-to-school begins.
"Once again, no matter where you are in the city – whether or not there is a speed camera watching – please slow down, stay alert and obey the rules of the road," Mayor Tory.
"This is a very reasonable ask we that we make of our drivers for the safety of our children, especially during these times. We are doing everything we can as a city government to help support families, the schools, school boards and provincial government with back to school and that includes our road safety efforts."
To ensure that drivers know exactly where each speed camera is located, we’ve put together an interactive map that pins where the cameras are throughout the city and what ward they are part of.
