Chow calls on province to reimburse Toronto for lost speed camera revenue

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said close to 1,000 people could lose their jobs starting Friday unless the province steps up to cover the revenue lost from the speed camera ban.

Chow said the city’s speed camera revenues paid for more than 900 crossing guards at a cost of $31.2 million and 18 traffic safety police officers at a cost of $3.9 million, suggesting those programs are in jeopardy now.

“All of that, starting tomorrow, the money is gone,” she told city council on Thursday.

“I don’t know how we’re going to pay for the 18 traffic cops, neither would I know how to find money for the crossing guards.”

“It’s not just about speed cameras, it’s not just about protecting our children – yes, it’s very much about that, but it’s also about protecting jobs.”

Earlier in the day, the Ford government said it is earmarking $210 million for municipalities to implement traffic-calming measures as its ban on speed cameras is set to take effect.

Ford spent weeks railing against speed cameras, calling them a “cash grab” because of the revenue they generate for municipalities, then his government passed last month a ban on their use as of Friday.

The measures to ban speed cameras were contained in a red tape reduction bill, which the government fast-tracked, limiting debate and skipping public hearings.

The premier has also said speed cameras don’t work to slow drivers down, but evidence collected by municipalities and Hospital for Sick Children researchers found they do.

More than 20 mayors had urged Ford to tweak the program instead of scrapping it entirely, noting that the move means road safety measures in their communities will now be funded by all taxpayers instead of by drivers breaking the law by speeding.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said in a statement Thursday that a new Road Safety Initiatives Fund will provide an immediate $42 million for measures such as speed bumps, raised crosswalks, roundabouts, new signage and increased police enforcement in school and community zones that had speed cameras.

Eligible municipalities will be able to apply for the remaining $168 million early next year.

Chow said the loss of speed camera revenue will also cut into the City’s 10-year Capital Plan, as almost $96 million will no longer be available for local safety improvement programs. She noted that Toronto would only get a quarter of the remaining funds available, which would not be enough to cover the shortfall.

“Firing or laying off crossing guards will not make people safe. Laying off or reassigning the traffic cops will certainly not make our city any safer,” said Chow. “Running out of money to install traffic calming or traffic lights or local community safety zones, definitely will not make Torontonians any safer.”

Toronto city council voted 25-0 in favour of Chow’s motion calling on the province to reimburse those costs.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report