Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatens to do away with automated speed cameras

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford wants municipalities to get rid of automated speed cameras — or else he will.

Over the last few days, 17 automated speed cameras were cut down in Toronto, part of an ongoing trend that has seen 800 incidents of vandalism against the cameras reported to the city this year.

Ford called the cameras nothing more than a cash grab for the city and suggested there are better ways to deter speeding, particularly in school zones.

“If you want to slow down traffic at school, you put the big huge signs, big flashing lights, ‘Crossing Area,'” he said after an unrelated speech Tuesday morning.

“People will slow down.”

The city issued about $40 million in fines from automated speed cameras in 2024 and so far this year the total is already up over $45 million, a spokesperson said in a statement.

Toronto first asked for speed cameras back in 2016 and a year later, then-premier Kathleen Wynne made changes to the Highway Traffic Act to allow for automated speed camera use in school and community zones.

Ford, however, indicated he takes a dim view of the cameras’ effectiveness.

“Hopefully the cities will get rid of them like Mayor (Steven) Del Duca did in Vaughan, or I’m going to help them get rid of them very shortly,” he said.

Toronto has 150 automated speed cameras, Mayor Olivia Chow said, and they are aimed at keeping communities safe.

“Cutting down speed cameras is not a joke,” she said at a press conference Tuesday.

“It’s a criminal offence. … I expect the police to do what they can to bring the criminals to justice and work with the city very closely to prevent further thefts, vandalism, destruction of public property, because we need to keep our community, our most vulnerable road users, such as children and seniors, safe.”

Toronto police held a news conference Tuesday about the camera vandalism and released grainy images of two people who appear to be taking down one camera on Parkside Drive, which has been cut down seven times.

Police, however, released few other details to indicate how many people in total they suspect are involved, or any leads they may have.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and it’s been ongoing for the last several months, from (when) the first occurrence occurred, so we are actively canvassing, speaking to residents, and again, I must say, we’re appealing to the public,” said Insp. Peter Wallace.

“If anyone see any persons (who) appears to be suspicious around these cameras, please call police.”

NDP Leader Marit Stiles scoffed when she heard the premier’s comments.

“What an idiotic thing to say,” she said.

The cameras are about trying to ensure road safety, aside from the issue of municipal revenue generation, Stiles said.

“I think that if you’re speeding, you should stop speeding, because kids are going to get killed and pedestrians get killed, and nobody, nobody wants to hurt anyone,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2025.

Allison Jones and Liam Casey, The Canadian Press