The Town of Innisfil is making roads safer for motorists and pedestrians through automated speed enforcement (ASE). The first speed enforcement camera is located on Jans Boulevard, south of Westmount Avenue near Nantyr Shores Secondary School.
The camera was activated on November 12 following testing and the mandatory 90-day notice period in which “coming soon” signs were posted in the area to provide drivers advance notice. New signage is now in place to let drivers know that ASE is in use.
The Town’s ASE program uses one camera that will rotate through select community safety zones every few months. Community safety zones are designated through a municipal by-law that identifies them as a road segment of higher risk or concern for public safety. Many community safety zones are located close to schools.
“The use of automated speed enforcement is another tool to help keep residents safe, particularly our community’s most vulnerable pedestrians—children,” says Mayor Lynn Dollin. “We’ve heard from residents that speeding is an issue in our community. Our goal with this program is to encourage people to take note of their speed and drive more cautiously.”
The Town’s ASE program is supported by Local Authority Services (LAS), a not-for-profit organization created by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) that offers cooperative procurement efforts and innovative training, programs, and services to public sector organizations. LAS’ offerings help make ASE services accessible to smaller and medium-sized municipalities such as Innisfil.
“Speeding is responsible for about 20% of road fatalities in Ontario. LAS created the service to help municipalities, regardless of their size, tackle speeding and reduce collisions in targeted community safety and school zones,” says LAS Chair Gary McNamara. “This service is the next layer of public safety after community policing efforts and traffic calming measures.”
When a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit, the ASE system captures an image of the vehicle and licence plate. The image is reviewed by a Provincial Offences Officer at the Joint Processing Centre in Barrie before a ticket is mailed to the registered plate holder. Fines will be based on how much the driver exceeded the speed limit in the Highway Traffic Act. Unlike regular speeding tickets, speed camera infractions do not affect insurance, nor do they affect a driver’s record.
Funds collected through the town’s ASE program will be used to offset the cost of running the program. Any potential revenue will be reinvested into the program or other traffic safety initiatives.
To learn more about ASE in Innisfil, please visit innisfil.ca/ASE.
