A much-anticipated program to install an Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) system, including one speed camera that will rotate to areas throughout Halton Hills, has been delayed to mid-2024.
The Town’s original plan was to have the sytem in place for July of this year as part of its push to implement Community Safety Zones. These are areas for enhanced traffic safety near places like schools. However, a memo to council from staff indicates that a number of obstacles have slowed the implementation.
The vendor selling the speed cameras to the Town - Redflex Traffic Systems - needs to upgrade its software to allow the processing of ASE infractions through the Town’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS). The AMPS system allows those who were ticketed to fight their charge at the municipal level, rather than through Provincial Offences Court.
Halton Court Services (HCS) has also told the Town that it doesn't have the capacity to handle the increased workload the camera would create. The processing of tickets will occur through the City of Toronto’s Joint Processing Centre along side the HCS. But even that comes with limits.
“It’s 5,000 tickets per year that they can do for the Town, and that would be for the one camera that we are buying,” Councillor Clark Somerville told HaltonHillsToday.
Somerville believes the camera will be revenue positive for the Town within three months of implementation.
“But to me, the safety aspect of getting people to slow down in Community Safety Zones, which are primarily schools, is paramount,” Somerville added.
To officially get the program off the ground, a number of agreements need to be signed by the Town with various bodies, including the:
- Ministry of the Attorney General
- Ministry of Transportation of Ontario
- Joint Processing Centre
- Redflex Traffic Systems.
In the meantime, Town staff plans to implement 20 Community Safety Zones this year. Once the speed camera is received, it will rotate from zone to zone.
