By MorinvilleNews.com Staff
The Alberta government has announced sweeping changes to the province’s photo radar policies, aiming to end its use as a “cash cow” and restore public trust in traffic enforcement measures. Effective April 1, 2025, photo radar will be restricted to school, playground, and construction zones, with additional provisions to ensure its application focuses solely on safety.
The changes follow years of public criticism alleging that photo radar prioritizes revenue over safety. In response, the government paused new photo radar installations and equipment on Dec. 1, 2019, and conducted a thorough review. The new rules will eliminate ticketing on numbered provincial highways and restrict intersection safety devices to red light violations only, ending the contentious “speed-on-green” ticketing function.
Municipalities will have the option to request provincial approval for additional photo radar locations in high-collision areas, but only under exceptional circumstances. These sites will undergo audits every two years to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing collisions.
Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, emphasized the intent behind the changes. “This is great news for Alberta drivers. These changes will once and for all kill the photo radar cash cow in Alberta. Albertans can be confident that photo radar will only be used to improve traffic and roadside worker safety and not to make money.”
Over the next four months, the government will review all 2,200 approved photo radar sites across the province. Locations deemed ineffective or outside school, playground, or construction zones will be removed. The review is expected to reduce the number of sites by 70 percent, bringing Alberta’s usage in line with other provinces. Alberta currently has about 70 percent more photo radar sites than the next-highest province. The transition period will allow municipalities time to adjust equipment and vendor contracts. Municipalities are encouraged to adopt alternative safety measures, including speed warning signs, traffic calming features like speed tables, and public education campaigns. The province also plans to support municipalities in redesigning roads and intersections identified as unsafe.
The announcement has drawn support from municipal leaders. Dan McLean, Calgary councillor for Ward 13, said, “We need to prioritize safety where it matters most – protecting our children and workers on Calgary’s roads. I’m proud to support this vital step toward safer communities.” Edmonton councillor Tim Cartmell added, “It is vital we maintain safety where it matters most—around our schools, playgrounds, and construction zones. These are areas where enforcement can genuinely protect lives, not just generate revenue.”
The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) welcomed the changes. Kara Westerlund, RMA president, expressed optimism: “The Minister’s announcement will ensure that the use of photo radar is focused on enhancing traffic safety on high-risk roadways.”
First introduced in Alberta in 1987, photo radar has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years. On Dec. 1, 2023, all photo radar was removed from Calgary and Edmonton ring roads. A recent government consultation with municipalities in June and August 2024 sought to address concerns over so-called “fishing holes” – areas where enforcement focuses on revenue rather than safety.
Data from last year revealed that the top five revenue-generating photo radar sites accounted for tens of millions of dollars in fines, with the highest-earning site in Strathcona County generating nearly $6 million. With these reforms, Alberta aims to ensure that photo radar is used exclusively as a tool for enhancing safety, aligning with public expectations and reducing the number of fines issued for revenue purposes.
Since the budget shortfalls throughout the province are mammoth and compounding hourly…
…I hope the UCP’s megadonors are appropriately grateful for their new, improved ‘License to Speed’