(Nov. 9, 2016) — Premier Kathleen Wynne announced she intendeds to introduce legislation that, if passed, would give municipalities the power to implement programs aimed at improving safety in community safety zones and school zones.
These measures would include:
- Automated speed enforcement (ASE) technology on municipal roads, photo radar, which would take pictures of speeders’ licence plates.
- The ability to create zones with reduced speed limits to decrease the severity of pedestrian-vehicle collisions in urban areas.
- A streamlined process for municipalities to participate in Ontario’s Red Light Camera program without the need for lengthy regulatory approval.
The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) will be working with its members and the Province of Ontario to ensure that, should this legislation pass, it attempts to deal with problematic issues associated with photo radar and concerns of the trucking industry, including issues associated with vehicle and trailer ownership and the payment of fines.
OTA will also focus its efforts on the expansion of community safety zones in municipalities.
In June 1998 Bill 26, Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Community Safety Zones) was passed, giving councils of municipality certain powers to designate a part of a highway under its jurisdiction as a community safety zone if – in the council’s opinion – public safety is of special concern on that part of the highway.
OTA will continue to update members are the issue develops.