OttawaOttawa city councillors are pushing back against Premier Doug Ford’s claim that the cameras are a “cash grab,” as the province introduces legislation to ban them.Motion looks to buy time as province moves on legislation to ban automated speed enforcementBeacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney brought this sign to council on Wednesday as he argued for his motion on automated speed enforcement cameras. (Arthur White-Crummey/CBC)City council has unanimously passed a motion urging the province to allow Ottawa to keep speed cameras in school zones.Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney introduced the motion while holding a large yellow “school safety zone” sign as a prop, and delivered a simple message to Premier Doug Ford.”We will turn off the ones that are not there, we will sit at the table and continue to negotiate, but please, protect the students, keep the school zones,” he said.The provincial government introduced legislation on Monday that will ban automated speed enforcement cameras in all municipalities, regardless of where they are located. Ford has called the cameras a “cash grab.”One after another, councillors spoke up to lend their voice to Tierney’s plea, and to push back against the premier’s arguments. This is not about revenue, this is not about inconveniencing drivers — this is about saving lives.- Coun. Rawlson King”I think that speed cameras are a win-win-win for the residents of Ottawa,” said College ward Coun. Laine Johnson. “They save money on policing, they reduce illegal speeding, and they pay for road safety programs.” Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Rawlson King said the cameras have been proven to change driver behaviour, pushing more drivers to comply with posted speed limits in school zones. City data shows a sharp reduction in high-end speeding after cameras are installed.”Automated speed enforcement cameras have been the most effective road safety tools our city has deployed,” he said. “This is not about revenue, this is not about inconveniencing drivers — this is about saving lives.”Mayors call for reconsiderationMayors across Ontario have signed a letter calling the cameras a “necessary tool” and demanding a reprieve for school zones. It comes from the organization Ontario Big City Mayors, but Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is not among the signatories.Nonetheless, he supported Tierney’s motion on Wednesday. “I think it’s better that we all speak with one voice, all 25 of us … and that we as a city send a very strong signal to the provincial government that we don’t agree with the new legislation and we think a compromise is possible,” Sutcliffe said.If the province insists on removing all cameras, Tierney’s motion asks for more time, pushing for a 12-month transition period.It also asks the province to make up the money that the city will lose, in order to ensure continued funding for Ottawa’s Road Safety Action Plan.ABOUT THE AUTHORArthur White-Crummey is a reporter at CBC Ottawa. He has previously worked as a reporter in Saskatchewan covering the courts, city hall and the provincial legislature. You can reach him at arthur.white-crummey@cbc.ca.
Ottawa councillors united in call to save speed cameras in school zones
