It has been one week since speed camera programs across Ontario, including in Waterloo Region, were forced to shut down by Premier Doug Ford and the provincial government.
Over that time, progress has been made in tearing down the cameras and what the future of road safety could look like in their absence.
In Waterloo Region, the official removal of the physical cameras is still on the go, but for Guelph, the city said in a statement to 570 NewsRadio that all of its cameras have been taken down.
“Following the Ontario government’s repeal of the use of municipal speed cameras, the City of Guelph ended its automated speed enforcement program with 12 mobile speed cameras,” said Steve Anderson, Manager of Transportation Engineering with the City of Guelph. “All cameras were turned off by Nov. 14 and removed by Nov. 18.”
Now, like many other municipalities across the province, the city is beginning to look into other potential options that could aid in keeping its streets safe.
To aid in that effort, the Ontario government announced it would be doling out funds from a $210 million pool to regions all across the province, in the effort of making those steps and advances a bit easier for impacted areas.
Anderson said that, while those discussions are still in their adolescence, it has now been made clear just how much of that funding it’s slated to receive.
“As the city continues to prioritize road safety, we will receive $676,904 in immediate funding from the provincial Road Safety Initiatives Fund to support traffic-calming measures in school zones and community safety zones,” he said.
Due to the early stages of those talks and being a week since those cameras were turned off, the specific details of what those traffic-calming measures could look like are still unknown.
Summer construction at the roundabout of Erb St. W and Ira Needles Blvd., installing new traffic-calming measures (Josh Goeree/570 NewsRadio)
It’s expected to consist of additional signs, raised crosswalks, speed bumps, flashing lights, and more, similar to options that Waterloo Region had already been experimenting with at various key intersections in Cambridge, Waterloo and Kitchener.
That includes the intersection of Erb Street West and Ira Needles Boulevard in Waterloo.
During a recent committee meeting, the County of Wellington stated that it would be receiving $210,000 from the provincial Road Safety Initiatives Fund, adding that it intends to keep its 14 total cameras, with two in each of its seven school zones, to use for data collection on driver habits.
570 NewsRadio reached out to the Region of Waterloo for comment on its progress and the shutdown of its speed camera program, as well as details on the funding it’s been allotted by the provincial government.
A representative said it’s currently in the midst of compiling numbers and information, with more information will be given once it’s known.