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鈥淎cross most of our city wards, it wasn’t unique to one part of the city, (we heard) a very strong, clear, loud, exuberant message from our residents that they do support the goal of slowing things down on roads to protect everybody, but this particular mechanism was something they didn’t feel was fair,鈥� said Del Duca.

The motion was passed at Vaughan city council by a vote of 7-3.

He said the main concern for residents in Vaughan is crime, and it was a difficult message to convey to people that they could be caught speeding, but 鈥渢he real criminals鈥� committing other more serious crimes are getting away with those offences. He also cited the costs that residents were forced to pay if they were caught speeding multiple times and how that affected them in the current difficult economy.

鈥淲e really need to focus on letting our residents know that we have their back and that we are working for them and that we aren’t going to go out on a limb to do something that really diminishes their trust and our ability to listen to them,鈥� said Del Duca, after he put forth the motion.

Like many municipalities in Ontario, Vaughan rolled out its 10 speed cameras earlier this year. In the first three weeks of the program, 32,000 tickets were issued.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot,鈥� said Del Duca at the time. Many residents complained to their representatives, and it was decided to pause the program, while staff worked on a report.

Vaughan鈥檚 position on this has been in the spotlight ever since Ontario Premier Doug Ford commented on his disdain for the devices, and invoked Del Duca’s name.

鈥淗opefully the cities will get rid of them like Mayor Del Duca in Vaughan, or I鈥檓 going to help them get rid of them very shortly,鈥� Ford said.

In the meeting notes, much of the communications provided by council were emails sent to councillors that were vehemently against the speed cameras, but at the council meeting the first seven people making deputations all came to speak in favour of the program. It made little difference.

News of the meeting went to councillors last Friday, and people who wanted to speak needed to register by 9 a.m. Monday morning, which some believed may have been a move to limit feedback. Some councillors were taken aback at the hastily organized meeting.

鈥淚t was out of nowhere. I can tell you everybody was quite surprised because, as of Friday night last week, they had an agenda but there was nothing about this on the agenda. There’s no report and they said it was going to verbal,鈥� said聽councillor Marilyn Iafrate, (Ward 1) in an interview before the meeting. 鈥淚f you’re going to put something of that magnitude on the agenda and you have no report to go with it, I said ‘is this even legal?’ Like, how are residents supposed to prepare for the meeting if you don’t know what’s being discussed at the meeting?鈥�

Vaughan city councillors were scheduled to have an information session about speed cameras from city staff this Wednesday, which is now likely unnecessary.

Some councillors like Iafrate, did call-outs to their residents to make sure their voices could be heard. Iafrate said that while she has not received much criticism about the program, some councillors have been inundated by complaints. A family in her riding was killed by a speeding driver in 2022, so she is in support of the program.

Councillor Rosanna DeFrancesca, (Ward 3), became emotional during her comments, as she was supportive of the automated speed camera program.

“To say I鈥檓 disappointed is an understatement, this council is about to make a decision that I cannot support,鈥� said DeFrancesca. “How can I sit here today and support this motion after 15 years of advocating for safer streets when we’re finally here, where we’ve actually spent the money and the resources and the time to get here? Only to聽have a knee-jerk reaction because the premier decided that he’s going to stop what he started.”

While Del Duca was the Liberal transportation minister in 2017 that first allowed speed cameras in the province, the program was expanded to more municipalities by the Ford government in 2019.聽

“The data doesn’t lie, and we’re trying to change behaviours, and unfortunately the only way you can do that is by hitting people in the wallet,” said DeFrancesca.

She said it’d be better to wait to see if Ford will change the legislation. She and a few councillors lamented the decision because the speed cameras are working, and hoped with some tweaks the program could be saved. Some pointed out measures, like speed bumps or flexible poles, can be used to mitigate speeds in the city.

Vaughan鈥檚 decision may be in line with Ford鈥檚 comments, but it is out of step with many other cities in Ontario. Many other municipalities in the province are also implementing speed camera programs amid criticism from residents. In Brampton and Barrie聽they plan to stick with the program. As well, the Ontario Association of Municipalities wrote a letter to Ford that was in favour of the speed camera programs.

Even if Vaughan gets rid of its city-run speed cameras, there will be still be some there, which are operated by York Region. Del Duca said Vaughan will be sending communications asking York to have those removed too.