Barrie’s Speed Camera Ban Takes Affect Today: What It Means for Drivers

Barrie’s automated speed cameras are officially getting the boot Friday, November 14th, and it’s not just a local decision. This comes after the Ontario government passed new legislation banning automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras across the province. That means the devices in Barrie, Innisfil, Orillia, and dozens of other municipalities are being switched off for good.

But the end of speed cameras doesn’t mean the end of road safety efforts. In fact, the province is rolling out hundreds of millions of dollars to help cities slow drivers down in other ways.

Let’s break it all down.

Why Are the Cameras Being Removed?

Premier Doug Ford has been calling speed cameras a “cash grab” for months, arguing that they make life more expensive for drivers and don’t actually slow anyone down.

Evidence from municipalities, and even researchers at SickKids, says otherwise… but the province ultimately moved forward with a complete ban, effective November 14th.

Barrie had already begun phasing out the program, but the provincial deadline means the remaining cameras will be removed by Friday.

What Happens to Your Tickets?

Short version?
If you got a ticket, it still counts.

Any outstanding tickets and any new ones issued before the cameras are shut off remain valid. No refunds will be issued.

Since launching in December 2023, Barrie’s ASE program collected $1.24 million in revenue, with $711,000 in operating costs. That leaves a surplus of $535,684, all going back into community traffic-calming and safety improvements.

So What’s Next for Road Safety?

Even though speed cameras are ending, road safety measures are not slowing down.

The Province Is Spending Big

The Ontario government announced:

• $210 million for traffic-calming projects across the province
• An immediate $42 million from the new Road Safety Initiatives Fund for:
  • Speed bumps
  • Raised crosswalks
  • Roundabouts
  • New signage
  • More police enforcement in former camera zones

Municipalities will be able to apply for the remaining $168 million later.

Not everyone is happy about the change, over 20 mayors, including Innisfil’s Lynn Dollin, urged the province to tweak the program rather than scrap it, arguing that taxpayers will now foot the bill for road safety instead of speeding drivers.

Barrie’s Plan Moving Forward

Barrie city council isn’t wasting any time filling the gap. Recently, council directed staff to:

• Apply for $5 million from the province for new traffic-calming measures
• Increase the city’s traffic-calming budget by $500,000 (that’s $50,000 per ward), funded by the ASE reserve
• Continue studying the idea of red light cameras, including potential locations and the intersections that would benefit most