Waterloo Region mum on plan to pull speed cameras as provincial ban looms

Although a bill to ban speed cameras has cleared the last legislative hurdle, drivers could still get a ticket. CTV’s Alexandra Holyk explains.

With less than two weeks until the provincial government’s law banning speed cameras takes effect, the Region of Waterloo has yet to reveal its plan to shut down the ticketing system.

Bill 56, also known as the Building A More Competitive Economy Act, received royal assent Monday, after it was fast-tracked through the legislature. The bill included a provision to ban speed cameras across Ontario, after months of threats from Premier Doug Ford. He repeatedly called the cameras cash grabs and claimed they didn’t work.

The Region of Waterloo is now working on a plan to move its Municipal Speed Camera program offline.

“Right now, staff are reviewing the legislation,” Regional Councillor Colleen James said. “They are going to see what the implications are. They will come back to council with the report.”

The ban will officially take effect on Friday, Nov. 14, but there is no timeline for the report.

James said the region is also looking into what the process would look like, how much it would cost, and who would pay.

“I would love for the province to say, ‘You know what, the Region of Waterloo is getting ‘x’ millions of dollars,’” she admitted. “But until there is something definitive, we have no idea where these funds are going to come from.”

The province said it will pay for – and provide – temporary signs warning drivers to slow down, and work with municipalities on future funding. The current plan is to replace the cameras and signage with flashing lights by September 2026.

“I want to see data that that works,” James said. “That’s what I’m looking for. Does that data work, to show that bigger signs are going to help slow people down?”

The Waterloo Regional Police Service said they are also reviewing the legislation and will step up their own road safety efforts.

“What does this mean for policing?” WRPS Chief Mark Crowell asked in an interview with CTV News. “How do we move ahead for enforcement and education, and driving down unsafe behaviour on our roadways?”

While the ban takes effect on Nov. 14, tickets can still be issued to drivers going over the posted speed limits.

“Until then, I caution people to drive responsibly in our communities,” James said.