Premier Doug Ford has renewed his criticism of Toronto’s speed enforcement cameras, calling them a “tax grab,” as police investigate another wave of vandalism targeting the devices.
Speaking at a Toronto Region Board of Trade event, Ford said municipalities should remove all speed cameras, warning that he would act if they do not.
“They should take out those cameras, all of them,” Ford said. “This is nothing but a tax grab.”
The premier argued the cameras unfairly penalize drivers for minor infractions, adding that better alternatives include flashing speed limit signs or police officers with radar guns. He praised Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca for scrapping his city’s program earlier this year, and urged other municipalities to follow suit.
“Hopefully the cities will get rid of them… or I’m going to help them get rid of them very shortly,” Ford said.
Ford’s comments came the same day Toronto police confirmed that multiple Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras were chopped down overnight.
At least three cameras were destroyed, including ones near Coxwell Avenue and O’Connor Drive, Lake Shore Boulevard between Woodbine and Coxwell, and Dundas and Bathurst streets. Images captured by CP24 showed the toppled units.
The City of Toronto said more than 800 incidents of vandalism involving speed cameras have been recorded in 2024, though most were minor cases such as graffiti. Several required complete removal of the devices.
“The City of Toronto condemns all vandalism of these speed cameras,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “Damaging these devices allows dangerous speeding to continue and undermines the safety of vulnerable road users, as all ASE devices are located in community safety zones such as near schools, playgrounds, and hospitals.”
Just days earlier, a camera on Parkside Drive was cut down for the seventh time in less than a year, making it one of the most frequently targeted units in the city.
City officials maintain the program reduces speeding near schools and hospitals, while critics, led by Ford, argue the focus is on generating revenue rather than protecting the public.
Police are urging anyone with information about the latest vandalism to come forward.
