By Ariana Boncoraglio

On Oct. 30, the provincial government officially banned all automated speed cameras across Ontario, a move that has sparked concerns about road safety.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) sits right in the heart of Toronto, where thousands of students cross busy intersections every day.

Speed cameras were a tool to control driver behaviour in high-risk areas such as schools and community zones, according to provincial legislation in 2019. There are two speed cameras near campus, for long-term care homes and schools.

“15 to 54 per cent of injuries and fatalities have been prevented…”

In a news release published by the provincial government on Sep. 25, Ontario has ranked in the top five jurisdictions in North America for road safety in the past 25 years. According to the release, more than 700 municipal speed cameras have been installed across the province since being introduced in 2019 by the Ford government, but they are officially out of operation as of Nov. 14.

After announcing the ban, the Ontario government introduced the Road Safety Initiatives Fund (RSIF). The fund includes $210 million to replace speed cameras with alternative safety measures, such as raised crosswalks, speed bumps and roundabouts. $42 million of this fund will go directly towards improved signage and increased enforcement in school and community.

“The effects are significant and of course that means people’s lives”

Former president of the Canadian Road Safety Association Professionals, Raheem Dilgir spoke to The Eyeopener on the effectiveness of speed cameras.

“I’ve seen some numbers ranging from 15 to 54 per cent of injuries and fatalities have been prevented from automated speed enforcement camera installations,” said Dilgir. “The effects are significant and of course that means people’s lives.”

Dilgir explained how speed cameras influence driver behaviour in two ways. He said, some people slow down after receiving a ticket themselves, while others adjust their behaviour due to the presence of law enforcement.

“If there is no more threat to get a ticket, you won’t necessarily feel deterred to go the speed limit,” said Dilgir. “That’s human nature.”

The removal of speed cameras has prompted mixed reactions among TMU students.

First-year business technology management student Tara Sakhi said speed cameras provide a safer environment but believes the fines are too high. “I do think they should decrease the fines because a lot of people can’t afford them, especially since they are already paying for car insurance, gas, and all of that,” she said.

“I do think they should decrease the fines because a lot of people can’t afford them”

Previously in O. Reg. 355/22 under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, fines were determined by how much a driver was going over the mandated speed limit, as well as an additional penalty if in a “community safety zone or school zone”.

Some students said they already struggle with the general student expenses, like tuition or commuting costs which is why a single speeding ticket can feel less like a safety tool and more like a financial burden.

Piraveen Mahadevan, a third-year business technology management student supports the ban. He says speed cameras don’t always change driver habits and that downtown Toronto’s congestion slows drivers down regardless.

“That’s human nature”

“Since it’s a really populated area I feel like drivers already know they can’t speed there,” he said.

Mahadevan also highlights that since a lot of students use public transit to reach campus, the ban should affect them less.

He says “speed bumps or speed cushions, high visibility signage across the streets [and] increased police enforcement” can be better measures for road safety.

With thousands of students crossing Gould Street, Victoria Street and Nelson Mandela Walk, the ban raises questions about how drivers will stay cautious once cameras–and the deterrent they provide–are gone.