Speed cameras to more than double in 2023

The City of Ottawa plans to install 23 more automated speed enforcement cameras along city roads this year, and is letting motorists know in advance where they'll be.

The additional cameras, including six that were supposed to be installed last year, will more than double the total number of them across the city.

According to a memo to the mayor and councillors from Carol Hall, the city's associate director of traffic services, the additional cameras will bring the total number to 40 by the end of the year.

Introduced as a pilot project, the camera program was made permanent in October 2021, with plans to add between 15 and 25 new cameras each year until 2026.

"Where installed, speed cameras were found effective at increasing compliance to the posted speed limit, which reduces the risk to vulnerable road users," according to the memo.

The city also lists 77 red light camera locations.

Cameras near schools, parks

Of the 17 new speed camera locations, 11 are within school zones, two are near parks and others are on roads where speeding has been identified as a problem.

The new camera locations are:

• Jeanne D'Arc Boulevard N. from Paddler Way/Vorlage Drive to Orléans Boulevard (near Terry Fox Elementary School).
• Cedarview Road from Fallowfield Road to about 200 metres south of Fallowfield (near Cedarview Middle School).
• Cambrian Road from Greenbank Road to Kilbirnie Drive (near St. Cecilia School).
• Woodroffe Avenue from Anthony Avenue to Saville Row (near Woodroffe Avenue Public School).
• First Avenue from Chrysler Street to Percy Street (near Glebe Collegiate Institute).
• Heron Road from Finn Court to Baycrest Drive (near Queen of Angels Adult High School).
• Portobello Boulevard from Capreol Street/Martello Drive to Aquaview Drive (near Avalon Public School and École élémentaire public Des Sentiers).
• Spratt Road from Canyon Walk Drive to Shoreline Drive (near St. Jerome School, Steve MacLean Public School and École élémentaire catholique Bernard-Grandmaître).
• Kelly Farm Drive from Shepody Circle to Findlay Creek Drive (near Vimy Ridge Public School).
• Stonehaven Drive from Bridle Park Drive to Tandalee Crescent (near St. Anne School, École élémentaire catholique Élisabeth-Bruyère and Roch Carrier Elementary School).
• Berrigan Drive from Croxley Way to Claridge Drive (near Berrigan Elementary School and Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School).
• Riverside Drive from Mooney's Bay Place to Ridgewood Avenue (near Mooney's Bay Park).
• Bronson Avenue from University Drive/Sunnyside Avenue to Brewer Way (near Brewer Park).
• Hunt Club Road from Lorry Greenberg Drive to Pike Street (high-speed location where the posted speed limit is between 50 and 70 km/h).
• Montreal Road from Ogilvie Road to Foxborough Private/Bethamy Lane (high-speed location where the posted speed limit is between 50 and 70 km/h).
• Walkley Road from Harding Road to Halifax Drive (high-speed location with low speed limit compliance and many pedestrians).
• King Edward Avenue from Cathcart Street to St. Patrick Street (high-speed location with low speed limit compliance and many pedestrians).

According to the city, the last five of those locations — Hunt Club, Walkley and Montreal roads, and King Edward and Bronson avenues — are pending approval from Hydro Ottawa, which must determine whether there's sufficient power infrastructure to support cameras in those spots.  

In choosing those locations, the city says it takes a "data-driven approach" that takes into account such factors as existing compliance with the posted speed limit, the prevalence of "high-end speeders" (those travelling 15 km/h or more over the speed limit), the number of collisions and the number of students walking or cycling to schools in the area.

6 cameras delayed last year

In addition to the 17 new cameras, six more that were approved for installation last year but held up due to labour disruptions and other "unforeseen delays" will be installed this spring, according to the memo.

Those locations are:

• Greenbank Road from Jockvale Road to Half Moon Bay Road (near St. Joseph High School).
• Stittsville Main Street from Bandelier Way to Hazeldean Road (near St. Stephen School).
• Woodroffe Avenue from Georgina Drive to Highway 417 (near D. Roy Kennedy Public School).
• Bridgestone Drive from Sunnybrooke Drive to Granite Court (near Maurice-Lapointe Public Elementary School).
• Chapman Mills Drive from Beatrice Drive to Meadgate Gate (near St. Emily School, Jean-Robert-Gauthier Catholic Elementary School and Chapman Mills Public School).
• Crestway Drive from Oldfield Street to Hathaway Drive (near St. Andrew School).