Aurora town council considers photo radar in community safety zones

YorkRegion.com
Nov. 29m 2016
Teresa Latchford

Photo radar may be coming to a street near you.

Prompted by complaints from residents about “excessive speeding” on streets surrounding Town Park, the suggestion to implement photo radar was tabled by Coun. Wendy Gaertner. She initially proposed that the area around the park be deemed as a community safety zone and asked York Region Police for assistance in controlling the speeding, and that if the province gives municipalities the authority to install photo radar cameras that staff do so.

“Community safety zones mean the fines (for offences) are doubled,” Coun. Harold Kim pointed out. “I believe York Region has a policy that deems all school areas are community safety zones — but if they don’t, I would like to see this apply to all school zones as well.”

Mayor Geoff Dawe pointed out that more often than not, when photo radar is installed, the first people caught are usually local residents. He insisted the town would not be looking to target anyone but that speeding is just plain speeding and is against the law.

“I just wanted to state that for the people who will email calling it a cash grab,” he said. “To which I will promptly reply that it is only a cash grab if you speed.”

Gaertner suggested conducting public consultation sessions to ensure residents are informed and to make sure this would be an exercise in speed control that has the support of the community. Feedback should also be included in a staff report before council makes a final decision.

While Ontario has announced new rules are in the works to give municipalities the authority to install photo radar, a tool that takes photos of speeding car’s licence plate to issue a speeding ticket via mail, within their own communities, the full regulations have yet to be finalized.

Council members agreed to amend the original motion to include a clause directing town staff to report back on the feasibility and cost associated with photo radar in all community safety zones once the provincial regulations have been set.