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‘It’s nothing but a tax grab’: Premier Ford calls for Toronto speed cameras to be removed ‘It’s nothing but a tax grab’: Premier Ford calls for Toronto speed cameras to be removed <\/p>\nToronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Police Chief Myron Demkiw stood firm on the cities stance in support of the use of speed cameras. <\/p>\n
Mayor Olivia Chow says she has no plans to scrap Toronto\u2019s speed camera program as Premier Doug Ford readies to make an announcement about them on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Five years ago, the Ontario PC government, lead by Ford at that time, passed a law allowing municipalities to install automatic speed enforcement (ASE) cameras.<\/p>\n
Now, the premier is calling the devices \u201cjust a tax grab,\u201d saying they should all be removed for unfairly targetting motorists who drive slightly over the speed limit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to help them get rid of them very shortly,\u201d Ford said earlier this month.<\/p>\n
‘It’s nothing but a tax grab’: Premier Ford calls for Toronto speed cameras to be removed ‘It’s nothing but a tax grab’: Premier Ford calls for Toronto speed cameras to be removed <\/p>\n
And while he hasn\u2019t named names, Ford insists that behind closed doors some mayors admit the cameras aren\u2019t about road safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey tell me straight out. Well, it\u2019s not about that, we need the money and we\u2019re going to put it towards, you know, roads and this and that,\u201d said Ford, who seems ready to take money out of the equation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to be giving municipalities across the province a lot of money to put in all sorts of street calming methods from a little turnabouts, from speed bumps to flashing signs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vaughan, however, decided last week to suspend its ASE program<\/a> on all city streets, citing that when it comes to protecting the \u201cmost vulnerable roads users and ensuring no unfair financial burden is placed on residents at a time of financial uncertainty\u201d the \u201cbalance tips too heavily toward monetary penalties on residents.\u201d <\/p>\n In a post on social media<\/a>, Ford praised that city for its decision to scrap the initiative.<\/p>\n On Wednesday morning, Chow lent her support to the program, saying Torontonians \u201cneed to be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c… we know speed cameras work. It reduces speed, and we know speed kills, and that is why Toronto will always support having a speed camera (program) to ensure that our most vulnerable are protected,\u201d she said following an unrelated news conference where a pilot project for crisis workers at TTC stations<\/a> was announced.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also know if you get hit by a 50 km\/h car, your chance of survival is very low. People die mostly, 85 per cent. If you are hit by a 30km\/h car, (there\u2019s) maybe a 15 per cent chance you would die. \u2026 We know speed cameras work, according to all the research, especially from SickKids<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Chows comments come as the city\u2019s ASE vendor works to repair almost 20 cameras that have been knocked down or damaged this month alone<\/a>.<\/p>\n Strong support for speed cameras in Ontario<\/p>\n The Ontario Chiefs of Police have also recently come out in strong support of speed cameras<\/a>, saying that removing them will put vulnerable road users at risk and urging the Premier to reconsider.<\/p>\n Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, meanwhile, said eliminating ASE is \u201cidiotic.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI actually am kind of appalled that the Premier thinks that, you know, he\u2019s supporting the vandalism of these this public property. I think it\u2019s really awful,\u201d she said in a statement.<\/p>\n Today, Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow called out the Premier for wanting to get rid of the cameras, saying that he is failiing to show leadership by \u201cplaying political games with the safety of our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPremier Ford, what wouldn\u2019t you do to keep the people you love safe? Everyone killed on our roads was a member of a family and out community. You claim you support the police and law and order. How does that square with banning a proven tool they advise to keep our kids safe?,\u201d he wrote in a post on social media on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The Toronto-St. Paul rep said he appreciates that residents are frustrated with speed cameras and said he wants to see a \u201ccommon sense and evidence-based approach\u201d when it comes to how the program is run. <\/p>\n He says automatic speed enforcement in the city has \u201cnot occurred in a transparent way, which has undermined public confidence,\u201d adding that those who drive slightly over the limit need not be penalized.<\/p>\n Matlow to introduce motion on ASE next week<\/p>\n Matlow said he intends to introduce a motion at next week\u2019s city Council meeting that, among other things, would require speed cameras to be clearly marked and provide a \u201cmore reasonable and transparent speed threshold.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI want to make sure that council recognizes that our policy needs to be reasonable, that there needs to be some reasonable grace, and we are really after the people who are speaking excessively, who are being reckless and who don\u2019t care about the safety of everyone around,\u201d he told CP24 late Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n Back in June, Chow introduced her own motion on Toronto\u2019s ASE program, which would include installing bigger and clearer signage to warn drivers, exploring ways to deliver tickets faster, preventing drivers from racking up multiple speed camera tickets at a single location before receiving their first warning in the mail, and capping the number of infractions<\/a> a vehicle owner can receive from a single location before being formally notified.<\/p>\n That item is set to be considered at the October 29 meeting of the city\u2019s Infrastructure and Environment Committee.<\/p>\n Toronto\u2019s police chief, however, wasn\u2019t prepared to get into camera politics when asked about his take on the situation on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been very clear as police leaders in this province, and I\u2019ve been very clear as chief of the city, that our approach to traffic enforcement and road safety is a holistic approach that involves many considerations, speed cameras being one, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s appropriate for me to speculate on what\u2019s in the Premier\u2019s mind,\u201d he said, adding that a \u201cbigger discussion\u201d will have to be had to \u201caddress what is left unchallenged or unchecked behavior when speed cameras are gone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m concerned to the extent that we will have to come together as partners and really dig into what we do to address that, to ensure our trend of increased road safety keeps going in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758799872_581_P24VX6APJREDZOTJXARA76SA3Y.jpeg\")
Mayor Chow Mayor Olivia Chow speaks to reporters on Wed., Sept. 24, 2025 (CP24 photo). <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UST62J4SONH6LGQF6ZGFLR5EKI.png\")
Coun. Josh Matlow Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow speaks with CP24 on Sept. 24. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DQJ54GDHXJB2PJ522TOQVDKM5E.jpeg\")
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw speaks during a Sept. 24 news conference at Wellesley Station. <\/p>\n
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speed camera, A speed camera is seen on a Toronto street in this file photo. Torontonians divided on ASE program<\/p>\n