{"id":482032,"date":"2026-02-18T02:32:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T02:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/482032\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T02:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T02:32:14","slug":"calgary-mayor-asks-photo-radar-ban-be-reconsidered-after-recent-traffic-fatalities-calgary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/482032\/","title":{"rendered":"Calgary mayor asks photo radar ban be reconsidered after recent traffic fatalities &#8211; Calgary"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>After two pedestrians were killed over the Family Day long weekend, Calgary city councillors are awaiting a response from the provincial government to find new measures to help improve traffic safety.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/70c8fc80.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\"\/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11669404\/calgary-toddler-death\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">A toddler in a stroller was killed<\/a> after being hit in a marked crosswalk in the city\u2019s southwest Sunday afternoon, and <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11669744\/calgary-panorama-hills-pedestrian-collision\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">a senior was also struck<\/a>\u00a0in a marked crosswalk less than 24 hours later in northwest Calgary.<\/p>\n<p>They were Calgary\u2019s seventh and eighth fatal collisions in 2026 \u2014 a concerning trend, according to the Calgary Police Service, after 38 fatal crashes were recorded in 2025 including the deaths of 15 pedestrians.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe did see an increase overall last year so to see the year start at this volume is definitely concerning for how the rest of it is going to go,\u201d said A\/Insp. Shelby Stewart told reporters Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'New photo radar rules in effect in Alberta'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/photo.radar.ends.macvicar.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"   data-\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1:53<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew photo radar rules in effect in Alberta\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>During city council\u2019s meeting Tuesday morning, Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Yule asked the mayor about any progress in advocating the provincial government to restore photo radar enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767930311_275_national.jpg\" alt=\"Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tGet daily National news<\/p>\n<p>Get the day&#8217;s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.<\/p>\n<p>Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said he spoke with Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen late last year about improving traffic safety, but is waiting for a response to a formal letter he sent the minister on Feb 12.<\/p>\n<p>In that letter, Farkas said the removal of photo radar \u201chas led to an upswing in speed-related collisions,\u201d noting there were more than 900 pedestrian collisions and 27 fatalities between 2024 and 2025, which he said is a \u201ccritical public safety crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Farkas called on the province to restore the municipal share of traffic fine revenue, <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/7991738\/fine-revenue-policy-shift-costing-alberta-municipalities-millions-of-dollars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">which was clawed back in 2020<\/a>, as well as a review of the decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11110370\/new-provincial-photo-radar-restrictions-alberta\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">restrict photo radar enforcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>According to Farkas, any restored revenue would be allocated to traffic-safety improvements, including safer intersections, crosswalk upgrades, school-zone protections, and traffic-calming measures.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s the way I think this solves the problem, it takes the politics out of the issue and lowers the heat,\u201d Farkas told reporters. \u201cIf the fine revenue is being earmarked specifically for road safety improvements, it makes a lot more sense to me as a Calgarian, and I think we can help build the case with the public that this isn\u2019t just another cash grab.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\tRelated News\n\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/11610191\/photo-radar-cameras-raking-in-record-amounts-of-cash-in-quebec\/\" class=\"c-posts__inner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-posts__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/RECORD_PHOTO_RADAR_FINES-PKG_thumbnail_1280x720_.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"540\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tPhoto radar cameras raking in record amounts of cash in Quebec\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/11404982\/photo-radar-returning-to-3-calgary-intersections\/\" class=\"c-posts__inner\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-posts__thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771381933_388_Traffic_Enforcement_Michael_King_.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"540\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tPhoto radar returning to 3 Calgary intersections\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Farkas said the move could unlock upwards of $30 million annually for the city to invest in traffic safety.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement to Global News, Dreeshen said the province, \u201chas no plans to expand photo radar beyond the current framework.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am scheduling a meeting with Mayor Farkas in the coming weeks to discuss support for safer streets through targeted infrastructure improvements,\u201d Dreeshen said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur government established the $13 million Traffic Safety Fund, which municipalities can access to improve high-risk intersections through measures like better signage, signal timing, lighting, and road redesign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During budget deliberations last year, city council approved funding for each ward to install two new rectangular rapid flashing beacons at a location of their choice.<\/p>\n<p>Another $7.5 million was also approved to fund traffic and pedestrian safety improvements in the city\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calgary.ca\/roads\/safety\/vision-zero.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Vision Zero<\/a> plan, which aims to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities by 25 per cent by 2028 through street design and crosswalk improvements.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Yule told reporters that city council is aligned in its goal to invest in pedestrian safety<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got our four-year budget coming up and you\u2019re going to see a lot of investment from our side,\u201d Yule said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDefinitely looking for other levels of government to make sure that we have all the tools at our disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Calgary police issue nearly 26,000 fewer speeding tickets since photo radar ban announced'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cps.tickets.drop.macvicar_1.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"   data-\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1:58<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalgary police issue nearly 26,000 fewer speeding tickets since photo radar ban announced\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t&amp;copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After two pedestrians were killed over the Family Day long weekend, Calgary city councillors are awaiting a response&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":482033,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194293],"tags":[49,2798,71388,194774,194775,48,24156,194749,1890],"class_list":{"0":"post-482032","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-calgary","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-calgary","10":"tag-calgary-city-council","11":"tag-calgary-fatal-crashes","12":"tag-calgary-pedestrian-safety","13":"tag-canada","14":"tag-city-of-calgary","15":"tag-photo-radar","16":"tag-traffic"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=482032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482032\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/482033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=482032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=482032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=482032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}