The end of photo radar

Good morning! 

You either love them or hate them, but chances are you have seen them.

Over 60 photo radar cameras are across Ottawa, and hundreds of thousands of residents have received tickets in the mail because of them. For some, it was because they were speeding way over the legal limit; for others, they were maybe eight or nine kilometres over.

But the program could soon come to an end as the province looks to ban the cameras for their own safety measures instead. The mayor and many members of council are not happy, and it’s not a wonder why: they draw in millions of dollars for the city.

Let’s get to it

— Charlie Senack, Ottawa Lookout managing editor, [email protected] X: @Charlie_Senack

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WEATHER

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Monday: 23 🌡️ 11 | ☀️

PROVINCIAL NEWS

Ontario plans to scrap the photo radar program, but City of Ottawa says it saves lives

If you have ever been driving faster than you should near a school zone, chances are you got a ticket in the mail from one of the 60 speed cameras across Ottawa.

But that program is expected to come to an end after Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced he would be drafting legislation to axe the cams. Speaking in Vaughn, Ont, on Thursday, he called them a “cash grab” and said it was not fair to drivers.

“At a time when governments at all levels should be doing everything they can to lower costs and make life more affordable, too many municipalities are using speed cameras as a cash grab,” said Ford. 

The decision is drawing criticism from the City of Ottawa, which has made millions from the cameras. Last year alone, the speed enforcement program brought in $30 million. Since they were first introduced in 2020, over $80 million has been generated, which has helped fund safety and traffic enforcement. 

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he was disappointed with the decision. 

“I thought there was a way forward where we could improve the program rather than scrap the program. I spoke to the premier about it the other day, but I understand that’s not the direction he wants to go in, so, we’ll work with the province and try and find another way,” Sutcliffe told CTV. “But I think it is a disappointment for many mayors and city councillors across the province who had been focused on using these cameras as a way to get people to slow down in particular neighbourhoods, particularly around schools.”

The city had intended to add 24 more this fall at a cost of $1.7 million. However, those plans are now stalled. If speed cameras are banned, the province said it would provide money to help municipalities like the Capital get out of their contracts, but did not indicate how much. Cities would be on their own, though, to cover the costs of taking the cameras down.

What Ontario is planning instead

Instead of cameras, Ford said he would invest in safety measures like speed bumps, traffic circles, raised sidewalks, curb extensions and flashing signs.

But data shows the cameras in Ottawa were working, with a 16 per cent increase in compliance reported. High-end speeding dropped from 18 per cent to less than one per cent. Since the first cameras were installed in 2020, compliance with speed limits near schools, parks, and other safety zones has increased from 16 per cent to 81 per cent, with fines collected funding the city’s Road Safety Action Plan. 

Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs supports keeping the cameras in operation stating that if drivers don't want to get a ticket, then they should not speed. 

Many city councillors have also expressed concern. Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney says he hopes “wiser heads will prevail” and believes that whoever is misinforming the Premier “should be fired.”

On Bluesky, Kitchissippi Coun. and hopeful mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper said residents have demanded “speed enforcement cameras in their neighbourhoods because cameras work to reduce speeds, increase safety, and contribute to a sense of security for everyone using roads and sidewalks.”

College Ward Coun. Laine Johnson said that under Ford's plan, it will be taxpayers who cover the costs of speed enforcement rather than those caught speeding. “Are we so afraid of going after the actual rule breakers that we would rather put it on the back of everybody?,” she asked.

What municipalities are asking for 

Sutcliffe indicated he was hopeful the province would be willing to work with municipalities to figure out how to make the speed camera program better for everyone. The City of Ottawa has suggested that they stay in school zones and create a threshold for how fast cars can go above the limit before they get a ticket. 

The City of Toronto is going a step further, suggesting it will create legislation that prevents a driver from receiving a ticket until seven days after the first to ensure it can be delivered to them through the mail. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the city would also install larger signs near cameras by Oct. 31 and provide MPPs with info on schools and playgrounds which are near cameras. 

“Speed kills. Since 2024, 250 Torontonians have died or been seriously injured on our roads,” Chow said in a news release. “Automated enforcement works.”

Toronto had collected $34 million from its speed cameras between July 2020 and October 2022. Last year it collected about $40 million from its 75 automated speed-enforcement cameras.

What other Canadian cities and provinces are doing

The concept is not unique to Ontario. Quebec's speed cameras, known as photo radar, issue fines for speeding, with the base cost starting at $30 plus additional charges for every 5 km/h over the posted limit. Tickets can be for mobile or fixed speed cameras, with mobile units often appearing as white vans or trailer units. In 2022, $63 million was brought in from over 477,000 infractions in Quebec. The following year, that increased to $75 million. 

Winnipeg, Manitoba, piloted the program in 2021 and has 10 mobile units used at school, playground and construction zones. A 2025 survey in that province showed between 65-71 per cent of respondents were in support of keeping the cameras in operation.  

In 2024, Winnipeg's mobile photo enforcement program issued 92,741 tickets with another 35,687 offences captured through intersection cameras. 

Saskatchewan began speed enforcement as a pilot project in Regina, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw, with a permanent rollout in 2018. In new enforcement areas, warnings are often issued before drivers are hit with fines for speeding. 

The province has seen successful results with only one per cent of drivers in high-speed areas going above the speed limit. In Moose Jaw alone, $4 million has been brought in over the last five years. 

Not all Canadian cities use photo radar. British Columbia had cameras in the 1990s under an NDP government, but they were scrapped in 2001 by the Liberals. The province’s Attorney General stated that year “Photo radar undermined public confidence in traffic enforcement.” Reaction from the public was that vehicle owners were getting fined instead of the actual drivers. It was also called a “cash grab.”

Other Canadian cities like Halifax, Nova Scotia, are considering installing speed cameras through a pilot project. It passed a new Traffic Safety Act in 2018, but it took years to be proclaimed. 

Halifax plans to start with eight cameras and would lose money the first year due to setup. After that, it expects to bring in between $425,000 and $575,000 in yearly revenue. A report by the Ecology Action Centre found that over 60 per cent of Nova Scotians were in support of photo radar to reduce speeding.

THE OTTAWA NUMBER

$135,250

That’s how much Ratehub.ca says an Ottawa resident would need to make in order to buy an average-priced home ($630,000) with a 10 per cent down payment, a 25-year amortization, $4,000 in annual property taxes and a monthly heating bill of $150. Ottawa is one of seven Canadian cities where housing affordability has gotten worse, thanks to rising mortgage costs. Read more. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🚗 Plans to create a transit priority corridor along St. Laurent Boulevard between Hemlock Road and Innes Road will require eight properties to be fully acquired by the city, and will impact another 79 properties. Read more. [CTV]

💰Information provided to CTV shows that Ottawa is owed around $92 million in fees for unpaid parking and traffic camera tickets, with $15.8 million of that coming from traffic cameras. Read more. [CTV]

💻 Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry blocked council’s ability to vote on Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper’s motion to reverse the city manager’s return to office (RTO) mandate by introducing a motion to “reiterate [council’s] support for the city manager’s decision-making authority” with respect to HR and RTO policies. Curry’s motion passed, with 15 councillors supporting, 10 opposed. The Lookout notes that at this council meeting, several councillors were participating remotely. Read more. [CBC]

👮 Thirty police officers will begin wearing body cameras, as part of a pilot project starting in November. Read more. [CBC]

🚌 City staff are proposing bus-only lanes on Bank Street in the Glebe. Read more. [CBC]

🏚️ Three U of O students are speaking out against the university, alleging that it has failed to provide housing options while fumigating their dorm rooms for bedbugs. Read more. [The Fulcrum]

🥕 Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to develop a strategy to tackle the root causes of food insecurity. Read more. [CTV]

🍄 A third magic mushroom dispensary has closed this month due to a suspicious fire. Police are now investigating potential arsons at mushroom dispensaries in the ByWard market, Little Italy, and now in Centretown. Read more. [CTV]

🏦 A former Ottawa-based Royal Bank of Canada employee was arrested and is facing various charges for accessing customer information for several Canadians, including Prime Minister Mark Carney. The employee has since been fired and the RCMP says there are no national security implications. Read more. [The Canadian Press]

🐱 If you want to adopt a cat, the Ottawa Humane Society says it admitted 42 cats on Tuesday. Nineteen of those cats are kittens found in a box in Riverview Park. Read more. [CTV]

WEEKEND EVENT GUIDE

Flowers for Food; Fundraiser for the Westboro Food Bank | 389 Richmond Rd. | Sept. 27, 10 am - 2 pm | Japanese floral exhibit + make a bouquet to take home! | Learn more [Sponsored]

Multiple Oktoberfests | There are multiple Oktoberfests this weekend, including Beyond the Pale, Manor Lounge, multiple Tavern locations, and Orleans Brewing

Carp Fair | Carp Fairgrounds, 3790 Carp Rd, Carp | Sept. 25–28, various times | Agricultural showcases, rides, food, and family fun at Canada’s best little fair 

Mini Market: Fall Edition | Ottawa Art Gallery, 50 Mackenzie King, Level 1 | Sept. 27, 12–5 pm | Local makers and artists showcase handmade goods at this free indoor art market | Free

New Edinburgh Artist's Studio Tour | Various locations in New Edinburgh | Sept. 27–28, 10 am–4 pm | Self-guided tour of local artists’ studios and creative spaces | Free

Pique | Arts Court, 2 Daly Ave | Sept. 27, various times | Ottawa’s signature underground arts fest with music, drag, installations | Pay-what-you-can

Be Bold - Art Exhibition | CARDELREC Rec Centre, 1500 Shea Road, Stittsville | September 27 – November 8, Daily from 7 am – 8 pm | Step into a world of imagination, colour, and daring creativity!  | Free

Chelsea-Wakefield Studio Tour | Various studios, Chelsea–Wakefield, QC | Sept. 27–28; Oct. 4–5, 10 am–5 pm | Explore local artist studios featuring painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and more | Free

Be Bold – Art Exhibition | CARDELREC Rec Centre, 1500 Shea Road, Stittsville | Sept. 27–Nov. 8, 7 am–8 pm | Step into a world of imagination, colour, and daring creativity | Free

Ottawa Valley Live Steamers and Model Engineers | Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 2940 Old Montreal Rd. | Sept. 28, 11 am–3 pm | Interactive model train demos for all ages, weather permitting | Tickets

The Great Ottawa Markets Collective Destash: Craft Overstock & Food Market | Bell Sensplex, 1565 Maple Grove Rd | Sept. 28, various times | Crafting supplies, artisan deals, and local food in a lively market setting | Free

Ottawa Architecture Week | Various locations, Ottawa | Sept. 29–Oct. 3 | Explore design, architecture, and imagination in this city-wide festival | Free

Fall Farm Fest in Blackburn Hamlet | Just Food Community Farm, 2391 Pepin Court, Ottawa | Sept. 28, 11 am–3 pm | Free event with farm tours, workshops, live music and local food vendors | Free

Pumpkinferno | Upper Canada Village – 13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg | Oct. 1–5 | 9,000 hand-carved pumpkins light up a magical Halloween experience | Tickets

Mac My Cheese Fest 2025 | 255 Centrum Blvd., Orléans | Oct. 3–5, 3 pm–5 pm | Canada’s cheesiest fest returns with mac, music, and cheesy comfort food | Free

Square Lemon October Craft Market | The Glebe Community Centre | Oct. 4th 10:30am | Over 50 local makers | Free

Designing A Better City | Rogers Centre Room 210 | October 9, 11 AM | A panel discussion on design vision, design leadership and procurement strategies; includes lunch! | Tickets $25

Can*Con: Ottawa’s Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Literature Convention | Brookstreet Hotel, 525 Legget Drive | Oct. 17–19 | Expert talks, workshops, networking, and guest authors in sci-fi and fantasy | Tickets $95

Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 | St. Joseph’s Parish, 174 Wilbrod St | Nov 9, 4:00  pm | Experience Monteverdi’s iconic masterpiece performed by Ottawa’s finest young voices | Tickets $30

The Golden Glow: Lost As Where We Are | NAC Fourth Stage, 1 Elgin Street | November 13, 8 pm | Join Ottawa songwriters Shawn Tavenier and Eric Vieweg for a night of music and stories as they debut their project The Golden Glow | Tickets $35

The Women's History Project - Monique Bégin Lecture Series | uOttawa - 200 Lees Ave | Oct. 30, 6 pm | Keynote speaker Dr. Theresa Tam with remarks by Huguette Labelle | Tickets: $30

Want to see your event here? Submit them to our event calendar.

POLL

How has ‘New Ways to Bus’ impacted you?

It has been five months since ‘New Ways to Bus’ has been implemented — the biggest overhaul of transit routes in OC Transpo history. It was intended to find savings and help make commutes easier, but that has not been the case for everyone. Share your stories with us and they might be included in a future newsletter.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Celebrate Thanksgiving with Savvy Company’s Variety Pack! Rare Canadian wines, Ontario craft ciders & festive non-alcoholic sodas delivered to your door. Limited assortments. Only $129 [Sponsored]

• Tuesday is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and many local events are taking place. [CTV]

• Rideau Hall will host a special Doors Open event on Tuesday to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and the 10 years that have passed since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s final report. [Rideau Hall]

• The Black Sheep Inn is re-opening. [CBC]

• A new “upscale” - but affordable - restaurant has opened in Carleton’s Richcraft Hall. [The Fulcrum]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

ON THIS DAY

September 26, 1958: Plans for re-routing of bus lines in the central part of the city were under active study as a $1.7 million order for 64 ultra-modern 52-passenger buses was placed. 

The first 34 diesel buses were expected to replace many streetcars on Bank and St. Patrick Streets by mid-November. The day before, the Ontario Municipal Board gave the city over $1.9 million to assist with the decommissioning of the city’s streetcar line. Surveys would be conducted to learn more about riders’ habits in the communities of Metcalfe Road, Riverview Park, Rideau Park, Elmvale Acres, and the Uplands Airport run  

September 26, 1977: It didn't have the drama of the chase scene from the 1698 movie Bullitt, reported the Ottawa Citizen, but an otherwise quiet Saturday night proved to bring some action. 

Nepean police sergeant Jim Fitzgibbons didn’t think helping the driver of a car that seemed to be stuck in the ditch along Corkstown Road would result in a high-speed chase and end with a collision. 

The car drove off as the police officer approached the stuck vehicle. Despite Fitzgibbons' attempt to have the car pull over, it sped up to 120 km/h while it veered back and forth. The chase was over about 15 minutes later when Constable Ron Desormeaux was called in and brushed his car up to the vehicle. In the end, Gerard Sauvé, 30-years-old of 368 Zephyr Ave, was charged with dangerous driving.

OTTAWA WORDLE

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