Toronto speed camera near High Park issued $2.2M worth of tickets
The speed camera near High Park is once again leading the way, doling out tickets for infractions, according to data newly released by the City of Toronto.
And the camera isn’t always running 24 hours per day.
“Categorically it is an unsafe street,” said Neelan Rach, who lives on Parkside Drive and often carries his dog Archie on the narrow sidewalks to ensure his safety due to the speeding traffic. “I believe anyone who uses this street, whether a driver, a pedestrian or a cyclist is taking a risk.”
The numbers tell a tale: in the 10 months since the camera was installed on Parkside Dr. in April 2022, 21,252 tickets have been issued for speeding infractions—the most among Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras in operation. It is also the camera in operation the longest.
The average fine in Toronto of $107 per ticket, meaning the city has accrued an estimated $2,273,964 in revenue from this lone traffic camera.
“Not a week goes by [that] you don’t find something shocking on this street,” said Faraz Gholizadeh, who has been pushing for more action on top of a speed camera.
The camera isn’t always in operation, according to an email exchange with a ASE project manager.
“The devices are turned off for part of the day in order to help us manage the number of infractions received and we're able to process as many tickets as we can,” Trevor Kanhai said in an email dated December 13.
A City of Toronto spokesperson told CTV News Toronto ASE devices “are operational for 24 hours; however, they can be turned off for part of the day to allow the city to ensure the quality of its ticket issuance.”
“In such scenarios, the schedule is randomized, and the times change regularly to have the greatest impact on changing driver behaviour,” added Nadia Araujo.
But Rach and Gholizadeh say regardless of the city trying to keep drivers on their toes—and their brakes—the numbers don’t lie.
“The interventions undertaken so far aren’t working,” Rach said.
“So here we are as residents, we are sounding the alarm, loud and clear, saying it’s only a matter of time before there is another tragedy.”
The camera was installed and the speed limit on Parkside Dr. lowered to 40 km/h after the deaths of Fatima and Valdemar Avila in a five-vehicle collision in October 2021.
Some residents say the answer is a complete redesign of the street, which has long been viewed by commuters as a necessary thoroughfare between Bloor St. and Lake Shore Blvd. to access the Gardiner Expressway.
Ward 4 Parkside—High Park Councillor Gord Perks confirmed to CTV News Toronto that city engineers have been looking at redesign plans, and an update is expected in May.
Keith Szynkowski looks down at the speed camera on Parkside Dr. from his front window. He disagrees with some of his neighbours that the street needs to become more residential—noting people have to “get from A to B” and it is one of few arteries in the area.
He does have one idea.
“Bike lanes!” he exclaimed. “I say this as a motorist and a cyclist: nothing pleases me more to see a cyclist in his own lane, separated safely from the motorist.
As for how to stop the speeding cars, some of his neighbours say progress continues to stall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.