Fredericton looks for green light to install red light cameras

Fredericton councillors will be putting forward a resolution on Monday night that asks the provincial government to amend the Motor Vehicle Act and give cities the right to use of red light cameras.

For years, Fredericton has been pushing the use of red-light cameras to prevent speeding and running red lights in the capital city and will be putting forward the resolution at Monday night's city council meeting. 

"Our job is to encourage the government to move in the right direction," said Coun. Stephen Chase, who is the chair of the city's public safety and environment committee.

"The overall goal is to improve safety, the technology is just a means to that end." 

• Fredericton studies the use of red light cameras 

Chase said it could take several months for the process to go through. And if the province wants to do a further review, he said the process could take more than a year.

"We've made a case, we've done the best job we can … there are other jurisdictions in Canada that are using this technology, every province from Quebec through to British Columbia has the enabling legislation we're talking about," said Chase on Monday. 

"This is pretty much a house keeping amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act."

What's their purpose?

Red-light cameras are typically set up in intersections and record the licence plate of any vehicle that runs a red light. The owner of the vehicle is then sent a ticket for the offence.

Chase said with four cameras installed at the city's most dangerous intersections, it would cost around $250,000 at each intersection.

But Chase said the city also doesn't have the money to install the cameras.

Since 2015, the provincial government has kept all the revenue from tickets for speeding and running red lights. 

"There needs to be some kind of partnership formed with the government that would allow the cities to be able to afford  to do this," he said.

Most dangerous intersections

In the fall of 2015, secret cameras were installed by the City of Fredericton at the intersection of Regent and Brunswick streets and at Westmorland and Queen streets.

Chase said these intersections are also most common for motor vehicle collisions. 

"People are telling us they want safer intersections, they want reduced speeding, they don't want red light running," he said. 

The city tested the technology using cameras provided by Edmonton, where severe collisions were reduced by 20 per cent after the installation of cameras a few years ago.

Chase said he's seen issues like this in other city centres across the province as well and has reached out to other municipalities through the Cities of New Brunswick Association.

"This is a call to the province to help us reduce the problem," he said.