You Won't Get Demerit Points, But Ontario’s Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras Can Still Burn You

Also known as photo radar, the provincial government registered the use of the grey boxes in 2020 and they have popped up in municipalities like Ottawa and Toronto. In the last quarter of 2021, 54,391 tickets were issued for speeding infractions.

If you speed past a grey box, the camera captures your licence plate and remotely sends it to a database. The image of your plate is then matched to your car registration. Before you know it, there’s a ticket in your mailbox with the captured photo as indisputable evidence.

Toronto has a total of 75 automated speed cameras around the city in locations where there are community safety concerns. They added 25 more in January 2023 to help curb speeding and accidents. According to the City of Toronto, there is no set fine for when a vehicle has exceeded the posted speed limit by 50 km/h or more. A summons will be issued to the vehicle’s owner to appear in court.

How much is a speed enforcement camera fine in Ontario?

As per Schedule D of Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, your fine will be based on how fast you were going:

• 1-19 kilometres per hour over the maximum speed limit — $5.00 per km over
• 20-29 kilometres per hour over the maximum speed limit — $7.50 per km over
• 30-49 kilometres per hour over the maximum speed limit — $12.50 per km over

In addition to the per-kilometre fine, a $5.00 court cost is added, as is a victim fine surcharge (VFS) that goes towards fighting crime in Ontario. That VFS is calculated based on how much you were charged for speeding. If your infraction was valued under $50.00, you’d pay an extra $10.00. The rest of the grid is as follows:

• $51.00–$75.00 — $15.00
• $76.00–$100.00 — $20.00
• $101.00–$150.00 — $25.00
• $151.00–$200.00 — $35.00
• $201.00–$250.00 — $50.00
• $251.00–$300.00 — $60.00
• $301.00–$350.00 — $75.00
• $351.00–$400.00 — $85.00
• $401.00–$450.00 — $95.00
• $451.00–$500.00 — $110.00
• $501.00–$1000.00 — $125.00
• $1000.00 + — 25% of the fine

So, being snapped going 24 km over the limit would earn you a $200 ticket. It’s steep but certainly better than a ticket from a live officer.

Speed enforcement camera tickets vs. officer issues speeding tickets 

Unlike getting stopped by a real police officer, you won’t be docked demerit points if you’re convicted, and your driving record won’t be affected because the camera will have no way of knowing if you were the one driving.

Will speed camera tickets affect insurance?

No, for the same reason, demerit points aren’t issued. Without knowing who was driving the car, the offence can’t be added to your driving history.

What happens if you don’t pay your speed camera ticket?

Nothing initially.

But then you’ll eventually have to renew your licence and you’ll be in for a surprise: you will have to pay the ticket (with interest and applicable late fees) or you’ll be denied your renewal and it will be illegal for you to drive in Ontario.

That’s why it makes sense to just pay the ticket and be done with it — especially since you won’t be losing demerit points or damaging your driving record nor will your car insurance be affected.

Will more speed cameras be popping up around Ontario?

Yes. Toronto added 25 more speed cameras to its fleet of 50 in January 2023. Ottawa added three more speed cameras in 2022.

Inspiring better behaviours

The use of technology for speed enforcement has been met with conflict, with photo radar machines being defaced or even stolen — that's quite the feat, considering each device weighs over 800 pounds. While the motivations for theft and vandalism are unclear, the city hopes that the cameras will inspire safer behaviours. Mike Barnet, the Manager of Automated Enforcement for the City of Toronto, is hopeful that this will create a "halo' effect", where driving behaviours change even where cameras are not present."

Automated speed enforcement cameras shouldn’t be a surprise, as Toronto maps the location of each of the 50 cameras spread across the city. Barnet notes that cameras will move every three months, with the installation of notice signage 90 days prior to the cameras being activated.

Your best bet to avoid a ticket from automated speed enforcement? Drive the speed limit. The sophisticated technology will record and fine a driver for even one kilometre over the posted limit. Together, we can all do our part to protect everyone on the road, and move around safely.