Article contentArticle contentEnforcement and ticketsArticle contentPolice are writing about half the number of tickets they did in 2016 and Coun. Kathryn Morse (Halifax – Bedford Basin West) wanted to know why.Article content“It sounds like tickets were down by half if we’re going back to 2016 and our population has grown a lot since then. So to me, it seems like there is less enforcement,” she said.Article contentRobertson pulled out some stats. He said from January to June in 2024, HRP issued 4,894 tickets, and this year, for that same period, it was 5,030 (a three per cent increase). In 2024, they issued 11,011 tickets and the year before it was 10,000.Article content“The numbers are there, the enforcement is happening.”Article contentBut back in 2016, HRP handed out around 21,000 tickets, compared to 11,000 in 2024.Article contentRobertson pointed to recruitment challenges with getting officers hired and replacing vacant positions, “and we can throw in COVID there as well.”Article contentArticle contentHe said the traffic unit of six to nine members issues almost 35-50 per cent of all the tickets.Article contentSome positive trends and public survey resultsArticle contentTrask pointed out a few numbers that are headed in the right direction:Article contentFatal and serious pedestrian collisions were down last year — to 21 from 33 in 2023 — and there were fewer pedestrian collisions at signalized intersections (50 down from 61 in 2023).There were 42 fatal and serious collisions at municipal intersections, down from 57 in 2023.Article contentShe said that Halifax is in the lower range of fatal and injury collisions compared to other major cities across Canada.Article contentTrask also showed the results of a public survey on road safety, where 48 per cent said they feel the road network is safe. People said they felt safest riding transit and least safe on bikes and motorcycles.Article contentThey’re also most concerned about distracted behaviours, road maintenance, speeding and impaired driving and want better pedestrian crossings, more enforcement and better lighting, she said.Article content
Increasing trend of fatal and serious injury collisions happening in Halifax
