The Ottawa councillor representing the ward with the busiest photo radar camera in the city is calling for the revenue generated from the tickets to be invested in the neighbourhood where the infraction occurs.
Ottawa’s 40 automated speed enforcement cameras have issued 154,341 tickets in the first five months of the year.
Coun. Stephanie Plante’s ward of Rideau-Vanier includes King Edward Avenue, where the photo radar camera near Cathcart Street issued 18,150 tickets in its first three months of operation.
“We have a lot of drivers who think that is a highway, it is not,” Plante said. “It’s in a residential area, so I do think it’s important that when people break the law there is some sort of fine for that action.”
All revenue generated from tickets issued via the automated speed enforcement and red light cameras are invested in Ottawa’s Road Safety Action Plan, which uses education, engineering and enforcement to promote road safety for all road users.
However, Plante says the revenue should support local neighbourhoods.
“This is a low-income community that mainly lives in public housing that desperately needs refurbished parks, bigger sidewalks, more amenities, more going towards things like programming for kids and seniors,” Plante told CTV News Ottawa.
Some residents support Plante’s proposal.
“It’s money that was made from King Edward, which is in this area and there is a large need for homeless people to have homes,” said Peggy Nesbitt Monday evening.
Plante says the thousands of tickets issued every month for speeding on King Edward Avenue is a sign they are working.
“We are not the only municipality that has been relying on them. Montreal is going a step further to put them in all school zones without question,” Plante said.
Plante plans to bring the proposal for revenue from camera-based tickets to support the neighbourhood where the infraction occurs to the transportation committee.
Ottawa plans to expand the photo radar camera program to 60 locations by the end of 2024.
Ottawa’s 85 red light cameras issued 14,887 tickets in the first four months of the year. The red light camera on King Edward Avenue at St. Patrick Street issued 1,346 tickets in the first four months of the year, while the camera on King Edward at St. Andrew has issued 532 tickets.