Toronto speeding rises after speed cameras are removed

City staff say speeding rose sharply in Toronto after Ontario removed automated speed cameras from municipalities last November. A report found vehicle speeds increased at 101 of 104 locations with comparable data, and the share of drivers going 11 km/h or more over the limit rose from 2% to 8.1%. The province had ordered the cameras removed after Premier Doug Ford called them a “cash grab.” In place of the cameras, the province offered funding for trafficcalming measures such as speed bumps and roundabouts. Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said cities should use physical changes to slow traffic instead. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and some councillors argued the cameras should be brought back, saying they helped improve safety on roads where speeding has increased. The report also noted 25 fatal collisions in Toronto in the six months since the cameras were removed, including two near former camera locations.