Brampton City Council could approve a budget amendment this week to green-light spending of over $5.5 million to replace automated speed cameras with more traffic calming measures.

Automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras were banned across Ontario in November in favour of massive light-up road signs and “traffic calming projects,” like speed bumps and enhanced crosswalks.

The change came after Premier Doug Ford called the ASE system “a money grab” despite data from the city showing the program resulted in slower driving habits and safer streets.

Ontario has already shelled out nearly $7 million to the city through the Road Safety Initiative Fund, and a city report now say some $1.5 million has already been used to fund four temporary Traffic Operations staff positions through March of 2028 “to support road safety
implementation during the ASE transition period.”

Staff are now seeking approval to transfer the remaining $5.5 million into the “Road Safety Initiative” project to “enable the implementation of traffic calming measures…and advance Council approved road safety priorities within the available funding window.”

The city is asking the province for another $27.96 million for other traffic calming implementations, including pilot opportunities for emerging school-zone safety technologies.

One proposed pilot could bring high-visibility, light-up LED crosswalks like those made by Canadian company SmartCrossing to Brampton.

City staff have been instructed to explore bringing in-ground, light-up crosswalks to Brampton, and early estimates put the cost of each new crosswalk between $60,000 and $160,000.

Under Ontario’s new road safety initiative, over 30 of Brampton’s 141 school zones will have oversized signage, with 30 of approximately 400 signs installed as of April 24. The large, oversized signs will require some $12,400 in annual maintenance, according to the city, and nearly 80 new speed cushions are also coming to Brampton school zones.

Reports from the city showed the ASE program led to an average reduction of 9.33 km/h at locations where the cameras are placed in Brampton. Five zones have seen reductions of 20 km/h or more, with the biggest average drop of 25.39 km/h at North Park Drive west of Massy Street.


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