Speed cameras resulted in 12,796 tickets issued last year

Approximately $1.3M in fines were issued as a result of the city’s automated speed enforcement cameras

One of the city’s six mobile automated speed-enforcement cameras is pictured in the Minnow Lake neighbourhood last year. Image: City of Greater Sudbury

Operational since March 22, 2024, the city’s six automated speed-enforcement cameras resulted in the issuance of 12,796 tickets last year.

These tickets resulted in a total set fine sum of $1,344,237.

Factoring in an allowance of $298,847 for uncollected fines and $322,387 in operating costs, the city’s net revenue is $753,003.

These funds are being used on traffic safety efforts throughout the city, including an expanded flexible bollard traffic-calming program and gateway speed limits.

(Bollards are yellow posts placed at the sides and centre of roads to narrow them with the intention of slowing traffic. Gateway speed limits slow traffic to 40 km/h and 30km/h in school zones within a fixed area indicated by signs indicating where the gateway area “begins” and “ends.”)

The city has also pulled $500,000 for the Roads and Transportation Asset Management Plan, which is expected to map condition targets and funding requirements to maintain city roads.

After these expenditures, the city is left with $83,009, which will top up this year’s traffic-calming budget to $118,000.

In a report by city Traffic and Transportation manager David Knutson, it’s recommended that these funds target a few traffic safety efforts.

One project is the installation of permanent traffic-calming on Brenda Drive, from Moonrock Avenue to St. Charles Lake Road.

This is the city’s top-ranked traffic-calming location.

“It is anticipated that speed bumps or speed tables will be the selected traffic-calming

measure of choice, however, the location will still be subject to public consultation and final design,” according to Knutson’s report.

The second project is the installation of electronic speed-display signs on Field Street, which show how fast vehicles are travelling against the speed limit, until such time as permanent traffic-calming measures are installed.

The South End Community Action Network has been advocating for traffic-calming on Field Street, which has both an elementary and secondary school.

It is a rural cross section (no curb and gutter), so has not been eligible for traffic-calming bollards, since motorists are able to drive down the gravel shoulder to avoid reducing their speed through bollards.

City staff have also recommended a $20,000 expenditure toward an education campaign aimed at pedestrian safety when crossing roadways. The campaign is slated to be introduced this year and include messaging around using controlled pedestrian crossings, wearing high-visibility clothing at night and during inclement weather, and encouraging motorists to be vigilant in higher-density and commercial areas.

Staff is also requesting that city council allow them to draft a business case for 2026/27 budget consideration which proposes the creation of a road safety analyst position. This new staff member would be responsible for developing future road-safety efforts funded by speed camera revenue.

The city’s six automated speed-enforcement cameras are currently located at: