The Ontario government has announced a $210 million investment through the new Road Safety Initiatives Fund (RSIF) to enhance safety in school zones and community safety zones. This fund focuses on effective, low-cost road safety measures that avoid the financial burden associated with municipal speed cameras. Instead, it will support infrastructure such as speed bumps, raised crosswalks, roundabouts, high-visibility signage, and increased police presence in areas where speed cameras were previously used.
Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria emphasized that the government is committed to protecting drivers from costly enforcement tools while improving road safety. He highlighted that Ontario already ranks among the safest regions in North America for road conditions, and the RSIF will further strengthen this record by giving municipalities the resources needed to adopt proven traffic-calming solutions.
To begin implementation, the government will distribute $42 million immediately to municipalities that had relied on speed cameras, enabling them to quickly adopt alternative safety measures. Early next year, eligible municipalities will be invited to apply for the remaining funds and submit plans for new traffic-calming projects.
The initiative follows growing public concern that municipal speed cameras were increasingly being used as revenue generators rather than safety tools. This concern led to the passage of the Building a More Competitive Economy Act, which bans the use of municipal speed cameras effective November 14, 2025. The ban comes after a rapid expansion of these cameras since 2019, resulting in millions of dollars in fines for drivers and notable cases such as a single Toronto camera issuing more than 65,000 tickets.
Ontario’s commitment to road safety is further supported by related programs such as the Road Safety Community Partnership Program, which funds public awareness initiatives, and the RIDE grant program, which assists police services in targeting impaired driving through education and roadside checks.
