Toronto passes new framework to deal with ticket disputes for red light and speed cameras
Toronto City Council has passed a new framework to streamline the complaints process around red light and speed camera tickets as it ramps up the use of the technology.
Under the plan, ticket disputes will be moved from the provincial courts to a city-administered penalty system, similar to parking ticket disputes.
According to city staff, doing so will streamline the dispute resolution process for drivers, improve efficiency, free up court time for other matters, and allow the city to avoid a backlog of disputes.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"Administrative penalty systems have been successful at the provincial and municipal levels of government, including in the City of Toronto for parking violations, are an effective method of enforcement and dispute resolution, and contribute to trust and confidence in the justice sector," staff said in a report.
Helping clear the backlog of ticket disputes will also allow the city to roll out more cameras in order to help meet its Vision Zero road safety goals, city staff said.
"It's about moving the system forward, but slowing down cars," Mayor Olivia Chow told reporters ahead of the council meeting this week.
Chow said she gets frequent reports about pedestrians and cyclists being struck by vehicles and speed can often be a factor in such cases.
"I do know that in some instances if the car is driving slower, less injury and maybe even life saved," Chow said. "By speeding up our efforts to increase this kind of enforcement so that we can get more cameras on the road, it is saying to the driver 'obey the law. Slow down or else there will be consequences.'"
She said the plan will help protect seniors and other vulnerable road users.
The plan would see the number of automated speed enforcement cameras double from 75 to 150 by 2026, with the city creating 74 new staff positions to manage the system.
It is estimated that the new system will bring in $71.27 million in net revenue for the city by 2026, though staff say that is not the point.
"The enforcement of regulatory offences, including those for Red Light Cameras and Automated Speed Enforcement, are not designed to be revenue generation tools for municipalities," staff said in their report. "The fines and penalties associated with these offences are for the purpose of deterring behaviour which has been determined to be a risk to public safety."
The motion was passed unanimously by council. The change will take effect on Nov. 1 this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
NDP house leader laments 'agents of chaos' in precarious Parliament
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Here's what the jury didn't hear in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.