Ford Government Bans School-Zone Speed Cameras — But Ontario Mayors Want to Keep Them
The Ford government has banned automated speed-enforcement (ASE) cameras in Ontario school zones, a move that has sparked outrage among mayors across the province. What began as a local safety initiative to protect children walking to school has turned into a major political clash between Queen’s Park and Ontario municipalities.
Premier Doug Ford’s government says the devices are nothing more than “cash grabs,” but mayors argue they’re proven life-savers. From Toronto to Ottawa and Hamilton, local leaders are calling on the province to reverse course—or at least make exceptions for school zones.
What the New Law Does
In 2025, the Ford government passed Bill 56 – Building a More Competitive Economy Act, which includes an amendment to the Highway Traffic Act that bans all municipal speed cameras. This prohibition applies to cameras located in community safety zones and school zones, where most municipalities had placed their ASE devices.
Municipalities have been ordered to shut down their camera programs by mid-November 2025. Cities such as Mississauga and Guelph have already announced deactivation dates around November 14, 2025.
Under the new law:
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Cities must remove all ASE cameras and related warning signage.
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Any tickets issued before the cutoff remain valid and must still be paid or contested.
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The province will replace automated enforcement with larger, standardized school-zone signs and expanded police enforcement.
The government claims these changes will reduce “unfair” ticketing while ensuring students remain safe through alternative methods like flashing beacons, speed bumps, and crossing guards.
Why the Ford Government Banned the Cameras
Premier Ford insists the ban is about fairness for drivers and taxpayers. He argues that many cities were issuing tens of thousands of tickets per month, sometimes at locations where posted speed limits suddenly dropped—leading to perceptions of “speed traps.”
“The cameras have turned into revenue machines,” Ford said during a press conference in September 2025. “Municipalities should not be using drivers as ATMs.”
The government’s argument hinges on three main points:
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Consistency – ASE programs were managed differently across municipalities, creating confusion and unequal enforcement.
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Fair notice – Tickets arrived weeks later in the mail, offering no immediate feedback to drivers.
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Better alternatives – The province says physical road-safety infrastructure, such as speed humps, curb extensions, and flashing signs, can slow drivers more effectively and transparently.
Ford’s critics, however, say the Premier is misrepresenting the data and ignoring years of evidence that ASE saves lives.
Mayors Push Back: “This Will Make Our Roads Less Safe”
Ontario mayors and regional chairs have banded together to oppose the province’s sweeping ban. A joint letter signed by leaders from Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, London, Kingston, Hamilton, and Waterloo urged Ford to reconsider.
They argue ASE has delivered measurable safety benefits since its introduction. For example:
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In Toronto, average speeds in school zones dropped by up to 45% after cameras were installed.
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Ottawa reported thousands fewer repeat offenders, as drivers learned where cameras were located and slowed down.
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Hamilton saw reductions in collisions and pedestrian injuries at several previously high-risk intersections.
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Mississauga noted a steep decline in extreme speeding incidents—vehicles traveling more than 20 km/h over the limit.
Mayors proposed compromises instead of an outright ban:
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Warning letters for first-time offenders.
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Operating hours limited to school times only.
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Uniform thresholds (for example, tickets only issued at 15–20 km/h over the posted limit).
Despite these proposals, the Ford government rejected any exceptions.
The Cities Most Affected
Ontario’s largest cities have invested heavily in ASE over the past five years. Their programs now face dismantling:
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Toronto operates hundreds of rotating cameras near schools and parks. The city says losing them will undo years of progress made under Vision Zero, its road-safety initiative.
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Ottawa, the province’s capital, had planned to expand its 36 cameras to 70 before the ban.
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Hamilton launched its first ASE pilot in 2022, targeting 12 school zones that saw chronic speeding.
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Waterloo and London both reported positive results in community-zone compliance but must now remove their cameras.
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Kingston had planned installations for 2026 that are now cancelled.
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Windsor recently launched its ASE pilot in 2024; the equipment will be removed after less than a year in service.
These cities now face sunk costs for cameras, software contracts, and processing systems—millions of dollars in infrastructure that will soon sit idle.
What Replaces Cameras Now
With ASE banned, municipalities are scrambling to maintain safe speeds around schools. The Ford government has directed cities to emphasize education and engineering:
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New high-visibility yellow school-zone signs province-wide.
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Flashing light beacons and digital “Your Speed” boards.
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Raised crosswalks and speed humps to physically slow traffic.
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Increased police patrols in known hot spots.
While most cities support these tools, they argue they can’t fully replace automated enforcement. Cameras provide continuous monitoring, freeing police for other duties.
The Evidence Debate: Safety vs. “Cash Grab”
The Case for ASE
Supporters point to peer-reviewed research and municipal data showing ASE reduces both mean speeds and severe crashes. Toronto’s analysis found that serious speeding (over 20 km/h above the limit) dropped by 88% in camera zones. Ottawa documented similar results.
The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) has also publicly opposed the ban, calling ASE “a proven life-saving technology.”
The Case Against ASE
The Ford government and critics claim ASE is more about revenue than safety. Some cameras generated millions in fines annually, prompting concerns about disproportionate impacts on working-class drivers.
The province also argues that ticket processing is inefficient and that mailed fines weeks later don’t create real-time deterrence. They want police presence and road design—not bureaucracy—to shape driver behaviour.
Shared Ground
Both sides agree on one thing: school zones must be safe. The question is whether that safety comes best from a camera lens or a speed bump.
The Political Battle Ahead
Municipalities aren’t giving up. Some are exploring legal options to challenge the ban, arguing the province overstepped by revoking local authority to manage traffic safety.
Others plan to gather post-ban data. If collision or injury rates rise in school zones once cameras are gone, the pressure on the Ford government could intensify.
Local leaders in Toronto, London, and Windsor have already hinted they’ll track changes closely through 2026. The results could determine whether a future government reinstates ASE—possibly limited to school zones only.
What’s Next for Ontario Drivers
As of November 2025, all ASE cameras across Ontario will be powered down. Drivers won’t receive new photo-based speeding tickets, but they should expect:
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More visible police patrols near schools and parks.
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Expanded signage reminding them of speed limits.
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Community campaigns urging voluntary compliance.
Still, safety advocates warn that without constant enforcement, habitual speeders may return to risky behaviour—especially during off-peak hours when patrols are thin.
Bottom Line
Ontario’s ban on school-zone speed cameras represents a major policy reversal. The Ford government views the cameras as unfair and ineffective, preferring road design and education. Ontario mayors—from Toronto and Ottawa to Hamilton, Mississauga, London, Kingston, Waterloo and Windsor—see it as a setback for child safety and local autonomy.
Over the next year, the outcome will hinge on data: if speeding and collisions rise where cameras once stood, political and public pressure could force the province to revisit its decision. Until then, Ontario drivers will see fewer cameras—but the debate over what keeps roads safe is far from over.
