In opposition to Premier Doug Ford’s plan to ban speed cameras in Ontario, a Toronto city committee voted Friday to strengthen automated speed enforcement in the city, with councillors saying the province is ignoring evidence that shows it improves road safety.

Mayor Olivia Chow introduced the successful motion Friday to the city’s infrastructure and environment committee, which aims to tweak the city’s speed camera program and directs staff to ask the province “to provide road safety rationale, and data, for removing ASE cameras.”

The motion’s recommendations, which will now go to city council, would also limit the number of tickets a person can get before their first ticket comes in the mail and direct staff to put bigger, more visible signs next to speed cameras so drivers are aware.

The vote comes one day after Premier Doug Ford announced his government would soon introduce legislation to ban speed cameras in Ontario, something he had been signalling for weeks.

Despite study findings and opposition from municipalities and police, Ford said speed cameras don’t slow down drivers and are instead a “tax grab” for cities.

Councillors say speed cams are about safety, not revenue

Several councillors took offence to the accusation at Friday’s committee meeting, including Coun. James Pasternak.

“We will have no rule of law if there aren’t fines for speeding and putting other people at risk,” he said. “The goal is to make nothing. That means everybody’s driving the speed limit.”

Chow, who was not present at Friday’s meeting, had similarly told reporters Thursday that the cameras are only intended to keep people safe.

Ford said Thursday there are better ways to slow down traffic, announcing a new provincial fund for traffic-calming measures to replace speed cameras, including speed bumps, roundabouts and raised crosswalks.

WATCH | Ford announces plan to ban speed cams: 

Ford to ban speed cameras in Ontario

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will introduce legislation to ban speed cameras, instead establishing a provincial fund to help municipalities put in place other “proactive traffic-calming initiatives.”

But the city already uses those tools to slow traffic, Coun. Paula Fletcher told the committee. Speed cameras are an important supplement to traffic-calming measures, she said.

“Because somebody’s complaining they got a ticket because they were speeding, we are now looking at taking out those cameras,” she said.

Ford has said he’s heard from people getting tickets for going a few kilometres per hour over the speed limit, or getting fined multiple times before they received their first speed camera ticket in the mail.

Some councillors were more sympathetic to Ford’s argument. Coun. Anthony Perruzza voiced his concern Friday that speed cameras aren’t visible enough, and people are being caught in speed traps.

“If these cameras are seen to be sneaky, hurtful, [to] render unfair punishment, the public isn’t gonna be supportive. And if the public don’t support the rule, the rule won’t survive,” he said.

Earlier this summer, Perruzza said he wanted the city’s speed camera program paused, saying then, without providing evidence, they had “no meaningful impact” and were “speed traps.”

A CAA study this summer found 73 per cent of Ontarians support the use of speed cameras in targeted areas. Also this summer, a study from SickKids found ASE cameras had cut speeding around Toronto schools nearly in half.

Opposition to speed cam ban extends beyond council

Many groups have come out in recent weeks in support of keeping automated speed enforcement.

The Association of Ontario Municipalities and the Ontario Association of Police Chiefs both previously urged Ford not to ban speed cameras, which they say reduce speeding and make roads safer. 

Michael Longfield, executive director of Cycle Toronto, told the committee Friday that Ford is not acting based on evidence. He accused Ford of “disregarding facts” and “playing politics with our safety again.” 

Cycle Toronto recently won a court challenge against the Ford government’s push to remove bike lanes in Toronto, in which the province argued the lanes are making traffic worse in the city. An Ontario court decision, which the province is appealing, found bike lanes reduce congestion and make roads safer. The court ruled removing them would put road users at risk and violate constitutional rights to life and security.