{"id":100,"date":"2026-10-23T00:27:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T04:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tickettrap.ai\/blog\/ontario-speed-camera-ban-road-safety-barriers\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T00:32:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T04:32:29","slug":"ontario-speed-camera-ban-road-safety-barriers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickettrap.ai\/blog\/ontario-speed-camera-ban-road-safety-barriers\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario speed camera ban brings $210 million for road-safety measures"},"content":{"rendered":"
Updated October 23, 2026 at 12:27 AM ET<\/em><\/div>\n

Drivers now have a clear picture of Ontario’s automated speed enforcement change: provincial law took effect Friday, ending the use of speed cameras on city streets, while the government announced $210 million for cities to install other safety measures. The change removes automated tickets but also raises questions about enforcement, road-safety spending and what happens to municipal workers and revenue.<\/p>\n

Portland’s official safety-camera information<\/a> provides separate context about automated enforcement. It says speed and intersection safety cameras are used in Portland, where speeding is identified as a top contributing factor to deadly crashes. That page cites research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Cochrane survey.<\/p>\n

What happened<\/h2>\n

Ontario’s automated speed enforcement programs officially came to an end Friday after legislation from the Ford government prohibited their use on city streets. The provincial government also announced $210 million for cities to install speed bumps, roundabouts and flashing signs as alternatives to the cameras.<\/p>\n

Premier Doug Ford had opposed the cameras for three months, saying they did not work and describing them as a municipal cash grab. A SickKids hospital study reported that speeding in Toronto fell by 45 per cent, while mayors, school boards and police leaders also pushed back against the government’s position.<\/p>\n

The announcement came a day before the ban took effect. The funding is for physical safety measures in place of the cameras, but Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the amount would not cover the city’s lost revenue and road-safety costs.<\/p>\n

Are you affected?<\/h2>\n

Drivers affected by Ontario’s change are those who received automated speed-camera tickets from cities covered by the provincial prohibition. The source article does not set out how individual drivers should check or resolve those tickets, and it does not provide an Ontario-specific process for contesting them. People should follow the instructions on any ticket or notice they received and contact the issuing municipality or the relevant court if they need more information.<\/p>\n

For Portland, the official advisory lists several ways to resolve a speed or intersection safety-camera citation. It says a citation can be handled by taking an eligible class without first paying the fine, paying online, entering a plea of no contest with a letter of explanation, appearing in court, requesting a trial with written statements where available, or submitting a certificate of innocence if the cited person was not the driver. The advisory says a certificate of innocence must be submitted within 75 days of the incident date.<\/p>\n

Portland’s official page says Oregon law allows cities to use speed and intersection safety cameras. It says the city is installing cameras along its High Crash Network, which represented 8 per cent of Portland streets but accounted for 67 per cent of deadly crashes from 2020 to 2024. The page also says automated enforcement is part of the city’s Vision Zero approach, alongside infrastructure and education.<\/p>\n

What to do now<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. \n
  2. Check any Ontario speed-camera ticket or notice for the issuing city, deadline and response instructions.<\/li>\n
  3. \n
  4. Contact the municipality or court listed on an Ontario notice if the ticket’s resolution process is unclear. The source article does not provide a province-wide instruction for this.<\/li>\n
  5. \n
  6. For a Portland citation, review the resolution options before paying the fine, because the official advisory says a citation cannot be dismissed once the fine is paid and a class is planned.<\/li>\n
  7. \n
  8. If the cited person was not the driver, submit a certificate of innocence within 75 days of the incident date, following the instructions on the citation.<\/li>\n
  9. \n
  10. If appealing or requesting a trial, make sure the court receives the citation, letter or written request before the required deadline, as the Portland advisory directs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What the evidence says about speed cameras<\/h2>\n

    The source article reports a SickKids hospital study that found speeding in Toronto decreased by 45 per cent after automated speed enforcement was introduced. The article contrasts that result with Premier Doug Ford’s position that the cameras did not work.<\/p>\n

    Portland’s official advisory adds evidence from national and international research. It says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s international survey found that speed safety-camera enforcement reduces injury crashes by 20 to 25 per cent. The page also cites a more recent Cochrane survey that found speed safety cameras reduced total crashes by up to 49 per cent and deadly and serious-injury crashes by up to 44 per cent.<\/p>\n

    Those figures come from separate research reviews cited by Portland’s transportation department. The advisory says the city’s cameras are concentrated on the High Crash Network and are used to support safe driving alongside infrastructure and education.<\/p>\n

    What happens to municipal programs and funding?<\/h2>\n

    Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the city would be at least $40 million to $50 million short on its road-safety budget without speed-camera revenue. She also said the city might have to lay off or fire 100 workers who handle speed-camera tickets, with severance costs adding to the financial pressure.<\/p>\n

    The source article does not say that the layoffs occurred. It reports Chow’s statement that the funding was insufficient and that the city faced possible staffing cuts. She said Toronto hoped to receive a portion of the provincial money but did not know whether it would receive any.<\/p>\n

    The policy change also reverses legislation introduced in 2017 by Steven Del Duca while he was Ontario Liberal transportation minister. That law was enacted by Ford’s government in December 2019 and created the regulations that allowed cities to issue automated speed-camera fines.<\/p>\n

    How do automated citations work?<\/h2>\n

    Portland’s official advisory describes automated enforcement as a tool for enforcing safe speeds and reducing dangerous driving. It says small increases in speed can increase both the risk of a crash and the severity of injuries when a collision happens.<\/p>\n

    The advisory offers more than one route for resolving a citation. Drivers can take an eligible class, pay online, enter a no-contest plea and provide a written explanation, appear in court, or request a trial with written statements if the court permits it. It also provides different contact options for Portland and East Multnomah County, including a photo-enforcement violation hotline.<\/p>\n

    FAQ<\/h2>\n

    What did Ontario do about speed cameras?<\/h3>\n

    Ontario legislation ended automated speed-camera enforcement on city streets. The provincial government also announced $210 million for cities to install speed bumps, roundabouts and flashing signs.<\/p>\n

    Did Toronto say it had enough money to replace speed-camera revenue?<\/h3>\n

    No. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the city would be at least $40 million to $50 million short on its road-safety budget without speed-camera revenue. She also said 100 workers who handle speed-camera tickets could face layoffs or firings.<\/p>\n

    How can someone resolve a speed-camera citation in Portland?<\/h3>\n

    Portland’s official advisory lists several options, including taking an eligible class before paying, paying online, entering a no-contest plea, appearing in court, requesting a trial with written statements where available, and submitting a certificate of innocence if the person was not the driver. The deadline and process depend on the citation and court instructions.<\/p>\n