Ontario invests $3-million in Toronto’s CCTV network amid spike in gun violence

Theglobeandmail.com
August 26, 2019

Ontario is investing $3-million to more than double the amount of closed-circuit TV cameras for Toronto amid a recent spate of gun violence.

The province says it will expand Toronto’s CCTV system from 34 cameras to 74.

Premier Doug Ford says the investment will give Toronto police the tools they need to fight gun and gang violence in Toronto and put criminals behind bars.

Mayor John Tory says the number of homicides has been reduced this year, but the level of gun violence continues to be unacceptable.

There have been 274 shootings this year so far with 412 victims -- considerably higher than mid-August of 2014, when Toronto had seen 117 shootings with 145 victims.

Mr. Tory has also been calling on Ottawa to implement a ban on handguns, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has so far only said the federal government will consider additional gun control measures and voters will have to wait for the Liberals’ election platform for details.