Today, Mayor John Tory, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) and local Councillor Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence) announced 25 new City of Toronto Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras are being deployed to Community Safety Zones. The new cameras increase the program’s total complement to 75 cameras aimed at dissuading speeding and further strengthening road safety across Toronto as part of the City’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan.
In November 2022, the City installed 90-day warning signs at all locations of the 25 new speed cameras, approved by Toronto City Council in February 2022, to caution people driving that the devices would soon be coming before any charges are laid.
Vision Zero is focused on eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Toronto’s streets: www.toronto.ca/VisionZero. Mayor Tory confirmed that Vision Zero will receive $72.8 million in funding within this year’s budget – the largest amount spent in one year on the plan since it was launched. From 2017 to 2022, the City invested more than $264 million in Vision Zero.
25 new speed cameras have been deployed to Community Safety Zones in every ward across the city – bringing our city-wide total to 75.
These cameras have proven to make our streets safer for everyone and I am fully committed to seeing this program expand to 150 cameras. pic.twitter.com/UIoL8pM55A
— John Tory (@JohnTory) February 2, 2023
The City’s investment and delivery of Vision Zero and the Cycling Network Plan are making a difference – since the inception of both programs, the number of fatalities and serious injuries have declined, and the growth of bikeways has expanded the reach of the cycling network to serve more people.
New ASE camera locations
The 25 new ASE devices, an additional device per ward, are in the following locations:
1. Thistle Down Boulevard east of Albion Road (Etobicoke North)
2. Martin Grove Road south of Eglinton Avenue West (Etobicoke Centre)
3. Mimico Avenue west of Station Road (Etobicoke-Lakeshore)
4. Lansdowne Avenue near 108 Lansdowne Ave. (Parkdale-High Park)
5. Pritchard Avenue near Batavia Avenue (York South-Weston)
6. Sheppard Avenue West west of Keele Street (York Centre)
7. Driftwood Avenue east of Jane Street (Humber River-Black Creek)
8. Avenue Road north of Elwood Boulevard (Eglinton-Lawrence)
9. Gladstone Avenue south of Cross Street (Davenport)
10. Dennison Avenue south of Grange (Spadina-Fort York)
11. Bloor Street West west of Clinton Street (University-Rosedale)
12. Davisville Avenue east of Yonge Street (Toronto-St. Paul’s)
13. Queen Street East near Sackville Street (Toronto Centre)
14. Logan Avenue north of Wolfrey Avenue (Toronto-Danforth)
15. Harrison Road near Vernham Avenue (Don Valley West)
16. Sloane Avenue near Draycott Drive (Don Valley East)
17. Freshmeadow Drive west of Applegate Crescent (Don Valley North)
18. Senlac Road north of Elynhill Drive (Willowdale)
19. Main Street south of Swanwick Avenue (Beaches-East York)
20. Danforth Road east of Huntington Avenue (Scarborough Southwest)
21. Lawrence Avenue East near Canlish Road (Scarborough Centre)
22. Birchmount Road north of Bay Mills Boulevard (Scarborough-Agincourt)
23. Tapscott Road west of Blackwell Avenue (Scarborough North)
24. Orton Park Road south of Ellesmere Road (Scarborough-Guildwood)
25. Lawrence Avenue East west of Port Union Road (Scarborough-Rouge Park)
It will take approximately two weeks for all new devices to be fully activated and enforcing speed limits.
Other Vision Zero actions taken to date to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities include:
• Installing 200 speed bumps in 2022, more than any previous year, to encourage people driving to comply with the speed limit
• Installing more than 400 School Safety Zones across the city which include safety signs, pavement markings and stencils, flashing beacons and driver feedback signs
• Equipping 1,000 intersections in Toronto with a Pedestrian Head Start feature for pedestrians to cross before vehicles
• Installing 16 new traffic signals and seven new pedestrian crossovers
• Placing School Crossing Guards at 800 locations around the city to help children cross the street safely
• Installing 74 new Red Light Cameras, bringing the total number across the city to nearly 300
• Installing 180 new In-Road Flexible Speed Signs to slow vehicles down
• Implementing many geometric modifications to the design of the road at key locations across the city
• Working with Toronto Hydro to prioritize illumination enhancements along high-priority corridors that are prone to night-time collisions
Background on ASE cameras and enforcement
The original 50 ASE devices are in service at their sixth round of locations and will continue rotating to new locations to help reduce speeding in more areas with safety concerns and encourage safer driving by acting as a deterrent.
In October, the devices issued 18,953 tickets, with the most tickets issued on Parkside Drive south of Algonquin Avenue (Parkdale-High Park) at 1,137, or approximately 6 per cent of all tickets. There were 886 repeat offenders, with the most frequent repeat offender receiving 25 tickets for speeding on Stilecroft Drive west of Sharpecroft Boulevard (York Centre).
In November, the devices issued 18,056 tickets, with the most tickets issued on Weston Road south of Burgundy Court (Humber River-Black Creek) at 1,250, or approximately 6 per cent of all tickets. There were 1,182 repeat offenders, with the most frequent repeat offender receiving 11 tickets for speeding on Russell Hill Road north of Coulson Avenue (Toronto-St. Paul’s).
In December, the devices issued 21,362 tickets, with the most tickets issued on Parkside Drive south of Algonquin Avenue (Parkdale-High Park) at 1,841, or approximately 9 per cent of all tickets. There were 1,558 repeat offenders, with the most frequent repeat offender receiving 10 tickets for speeding on Fenn Avenue north of Gordon Road (Don Valley West).
The total payable fine includes a set fine, determined by Schedule D under the Provincial Offences Act, a victim fine surcharge and applicable court costs. ASE tickets do not incur demerit points and do not affect a person’s driving record.
The City continues to process Part III offences for excessive speeding incidents captured by the ASE devices. Excessive speeding is when a vehicle exceeds the speed limit by 50 km/h or more. Under provincial regulations, there is no set fine or out-of-court settlement for charges related to excessive speeding. Instead, a summons is served to the registered vehicle owner to appear in court.
A total of 374 Part III charges were laid in 2022. The highest excessive speed detected was 146 km/h in a 50 km/h speed limit zone on Martin Grove Road north of Garfella Drive (Etobicoke North).
More information about the program, how to pay fees and a map of all current and planned locations are available on the City’s Automated Speed Enforcement webpage: www.toronto.ca/services-paymen
Quotes:
“We now have 75 speed cameras across the city and I remain fully committed to installing a total of 150 cameras this term. Expanding the Automated Speed Enforcement program is a major step forward in making our neighbourhoods safer for everyone in Toronto and an effort that demonstrates our continued commitment to advancing Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan.”
– Mayor John Tory
“The existence of speed cameras on our roadways is a reminder that each and every single person driving needs to slow down and obey the posted speed limit, especially near schools in Community Safety Zones – the places where kids and people of all ages tend to walk, run, bike and play.”
– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
“Speed cameras deter speeding, increase compliance, and improve overall road safety. More importantly, they fit right into our Vision Zero agenda and help keep our kids safe every day coming and going from school. Anyone ignoring the posted speed limit and putting lives at risk will receive a ticket – as they should. Drivers who obey the rules of the road and stay within the speed limit have nothing to worry about. More importantly, they set a good example for everyone.”
– Councillor Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence)
SOURCE City of Toronto
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