The Ford government has announced plans to introduce legislation this fall that will eliminate speed cameras in Ontario.
CityNews reported on the government’s intentions on Wednesday. The decision comes after Ford spent weeks slamming the cameras at various news conferences.
“In a few weeks, our government will introduce legislation to ban speed cameras in Ontario, to protect taxpayers and drivers and stop them from being gouged,” Doug Ford said at a press conference on Thursday.
It comes after speed cameras have been damaged numerous times across the province, including in Waterloo Region.
“Instead of punishing people retroactively with speeding tickets days or weeks after the fact, we are supporting practical, proactive traffic calming measures that stop people from speeding in the first place,” added Ford.
Prambreet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, said that speed cameras “have become nothing more than a tool for raising revenue.”
“Our government is focused on measures that truly protect the safety of all Ontarians, and we will continue working with municipalities to ensure Ontario maintains its position as one of the safest jurisdictions in North America.”
Advocates push back
Jess Spieker with Friends and Families for Safe Streets said she believes the premier is awarding vandals by introducing this legislation.
“Our premier seems to be taking acts of criminal vandalism like the cutting down of lifesaving speed cameras as if they’re policy demands and acquiescing,” said Spieker.
Ford has suggested road design changes like more speed bumps, big signs and flashing lights are more effective ways to slow traffic.
“Those don’t work. they’ve had 100 years to work and we have a road safety crisis on our hands,” said Spieker.
“Every single day in this province between one and two people are killed in a preventable crash. Those are shattered and devastated families, those are broken hearts,” she added. “I think this is the most nauseating form of populist politics where he is willing to get people killed to do something he thinks plays well with his voter base.”
Speed cameras are also not as unpopular as the premier believes them to be.
A 2025 CAA survey of 1,500 Ontario drivers found 73 per cent actually support the use of speed cameras and 76 per cent say they deter speeding.
Ontario’s Police Chiefs have penned a letter to Ford, insisting the cameras save lives.
The Region of Waterloo said since launching its speed camera program in February 2025, average speeds in school zones have dropped by 15 km/hr.
