EverythingGP file photo

By Emily Keller

photo radar

City to renew Automated Traffic Enforcement program contract, use more marked vehicles

May 19, 2020 | 8:42 PM

The City has decided to finalize the contract for their automated traffic enforcement program (ATE), or more commonly referred to as photo radar, with Global Traffic Group (GTG).

Their previous contract with GTG is set to expire on May 31, 2020.

It was decided at Tuesday’s Council meeting to finalize a three-year contract with GTG, and an amendment was passed for each year to use a minimum of 40 per cent of their hours using overt enforcement vehicles.

“I think part of the public feedback that we had is that there is a perception that the program is intentionally trying to hide it’s existence in order to lure people into getting speeding tickets,” said Mayor Bill Given. “Council didn’t really buy that line of argument but wanted to ensure that the program was conducted as transparently and obviously as possible.”

He says that with other jurisdictions using marked vehicles, Council did not see a reason they could not do that as well.

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“Our administration was able to confirm that they didn’t see it as having an impact on the safety side of the program and the outcomes that we’re looking for in respect to traffic safety, and so I think Council wanted to ensure that we were demonstrating that we’re listening to the community on this issue.”

At a Committee meeting on May 4, Administration was directed to look into having educational information mailed out with tickets, the possibility of using overt and covert enforcement vehicles, have payment terms that are not directly based on fine revenue generation and agree to a three-year term.

In a decision made by the provincial government on May 1, 2020, the allocation of base fine amounts for the province rose from 26.6 per cent to 40 per cent, and the victim fine surcharge, which is added to the base fine amount, increased from 13.04 per cent to 20 per cent. This means the province now receives 60 per cent of revenue generated from photo radar programs.

It also drops the amount the City receives by 13.4 per cent and increases the fine owed by 6.96 per cent. The revenue generated from the City’s ATE program is put into the Enforcement Services budget.