| LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Official
Record of Debate
(Hansard)
ROAD SAFETY
June
17, 2002
Mr
Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): My question is for
my friend the Minister of Transportation and it's about
improving public safety at intersections by effectively
enforcing the law and putting a stop to those who would
imperil the safety of pedestrians and other motorists
by running red lights.
Through
the red light camera pilot project, the government enables
six municipalities in Ontario to operate red light cameras
at intersections, snap a picture of the offending vehicle's
licence plate and lay charges based on that evidence.
I understand there are also stepped-up police enforcement
sites as part of this pilot study.
This
pilot project has been up and running in Waterloo region
since November 2000. I would ask the minister if he
could update this House on the effectiveness of this
important pilot project across the province.
1450
Hon
Norman W. Sterling (Minister of Transportation): I want
to thank the member for his interest as he's very much
interested in highway safety matters.
Dealing
with red light running requires a multi-faceted approach
that includes public awareness, enforcement and tough
penalties for breaking the law. Our government has done
some of those things since we arrived here in 1995.
Number one, in 1997 we raised the fines for red light
running. In 2000, we proclaimed legislation to enable
municipalities to operate red light cameras for a two-year
period.
This
pilot project requires municipalities to conduct increased
police enforcement at other intersections as well as
where the red light cameras are located. We are working
with municipalities to have a report on the effectiveness
of this, and we hope that report will be complete in
the not-too-far distant future.
Mr
Arnott: I want to thank the minister for that answer
and inform him that the regional council of Waterloo
region, their staff and police are to be credited for
their good work as partners in this pilot project. They've
advised me the project is scheduled to terminate in
November 2002. Without hesitation I support their resolution
requesting that the government extend the project for
another two years.
I've
also received word from the Canadian Automobile Association.
I received a letter from Anne Becker, their president
and CEO for midwestern Ontario, asking me to support
the two-year extension, which I do.
My
supplementary question to the minister is: will the
government extend the red light camera pilot project
for two more years?
Hon
Mr Sterling: The red light project was contained in
legislation and therefore will require an amendment
in this Legislature prior to November of 2002 in order
for this project to continue on. I've talked to several
of the municipalities and stakeholders who are interested
in this, including the Canadian Automobile Association,
which, as you know, is always concerned with automobile
safety.
Five
of the six municipalities that are presently undertaking
this project have requested an extension. I am looking
very favourably toward doing this but I want to continue
my consultations. I would expect that the opposition
and the government benches, if in fact those consultations
are successful, would support a piece of legislation
here in this House and would pass it with due haste.
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