Ottawa Speed Camera Ban Leads to Surge in School Zone Speeding
New data from the City of Ottawa reveals a dramatic increase in speeding violations since the provincial government banned automated speed enforcement cameras in November 2025. Compliance with posted speed limits at former camera locations has plummeted from 87 percent to just 41 percent during the first three months following the cameras' removal.
Alarming Increase in High-End Speeding
The statistics show particularly concerning growth in high-end speeding incidents, where drivers exceed posted limits by 15 kilometers per hour or more. This category has surged from 0.3 percent to 4.5 percent since the cameras were deactivated, representing a fifteen-fold increase in dangerous driving behavior around sensitive areas.
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Councillor Tim Tierney, who chairs the public works committee and opposed the provincial ban, stated the spike in speeding was "exactly what many expected" when the automated enforcement system was dismantled. Tierney emphasized that despite political differences, his primary goal remains finding effective methods to slow traffic, particularly around educational institutions.
School Zone Safety Concerns Intensify
The data emerges amid heightened safety concerns following several serious incidents in school zones. In March, Barrhaven crossing guard Peter Clark was struck and killed while on duty. Earlier that same month, a five-year-old child suffered serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle near another Barrhaven school.
In a separate incident this month, a two-vehicle collision outside École élémentaire publique Marie-Curie on Heron Road caused one car to flip onto its roof. The driver was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle. Councillor Marty Carr noted this location previously housed a speed camera and shared photographic evidence of the overturned vehicle on social media.
"You don't want to use tragedy or situations like that to illustrate, but unfortunately, the truth is, we've seen increased speeding," Tierney commented. "Whether it's somebody working a crosswalk in a tragic situation or you see cars literally flipping over, we have to find a way to slow people down."
Former Camera Locations and Provincial Policy
The speed camera on Heron Road between Alta Vista and Baycrest Drive, installed in 2024, issued 3,819 tickets in 2025 before being deactivated. Another camera on Cedarview Drive between Fallowfield and Jockvale Road—approximately one kilometer from the fatal Barrhaven crash site—was activated in 2023 and captured 12,544 speeders last year.
The Ontario government implemented the ban through Bill 56 in November 2025 after Premier Doug Ford criticized the cameras as a municipal "cash grab." The province's sixty speed cameras, predominantly installed around school zones, were subsequently deactivated.
Alternative Safety Measures and Ongoing Assessment
The provincial government announced that speed cameras would be replaced with alternative traffic-calming measures as part of a $210-million road safety fund. These include larger signage, enhanced lighting, and speed bumps in school zones and other high-risk areas.
City staff have compiled data for presentation at the public works and infrastructure committee meeting scheduled for April 23. This preliminary assessment does not yet reflect the impact of new signage, which continues to be installed throughout school zones according to municipal officials.
The removal of automated enforcement has created a significant gap in traffic monitoring, with the data clearly indicating that driver behavior has deteriorated substantially in the absence of camera surveillance. Municipal and provincial officials continue discussions about implementing effective, long-term solutions to address speeding and enhance road safety throughout Ottawa communities.
