Could more red light and speed cameras be coming to Toronto streets?

If Toronto wants to expand its system of red light and automated speed cameras it needs to grow its own ability to administer fines to people breaking the rules. 

That's according to a city staff report headed to a key Toronto committee next week, which recommends city councillors approve extending the city's so-called "administrative penalty system" to include tickets issued by the automated devices. Right now, the city only uses the system to administer parking tickets. 

It means that after Nov. 1, 2024, anyone ticketed by a red light camera or automated speed enforcement camera would no longer be able to fight the fine in a provincial court. Instead, they would have to appeal to a hearing officer at a quasi-judicial city tribunal.

"Dispute resolution of these matters through an Administrative Penalty System frees up capacity within the Provincial Offences court system for the hearing of a high volume of other offences," city staff say in the report to councillors, which is headed to the Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday.

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, who chairs the group, says shifting the penalty system out of the courts will ensure the city doubles the number of speed cameras it has across the city in the coming years. In future, it could also allow the city to administer new fines, she said, such as ones for people who block busy downtown intersections.

"If we put this system in place, it will allow us to expand the automated speed enforcement program, which is something that council has asked for," she said.

"We currently have 75 speed cameras across the city. They are mostly in school zones. But we do know there's other community safety zones where there's a high need for the cameras."

Both the red light camera and automated speed camera programs are part of Toronto's Vision Zero road safety plan to reduce deaths and injuries on city streets. The city currently has nearly 300 red light cameras and council has authorized staff to increase the number of speed cameras to 150 as soon as possible.

Toronto spends just over $16 million a year on operating costs for both red light and speed enforcement programs. That is expected to jump to nearly $50 million by 2026 when the programs migrate to the new system and more cameras are in place.

The programs generated nearly $70 million in revenue in 2023.

Coun. Brad Bradford says it's not about the cash, it's about road safety — and the cameras work.

"There is an option to not get a ticket and it's obeying the speed limit," he said.

"We're not going out in an attempt to ticket every vehicle that's one or two kilometres an hour over," Bradford said.

 "But at the end of the day, we don't want people speeding in our neighbourhoods, in our community safety zones, past senior homes, past schools."