Got on opinion on speed cameras? City hall wants to hear from you

Earlier this year, city council endorsed a plan to set up four automated speed cameras in town — a move that’s expected to triple the number of speeding tickets issued every year.  

The City of Sault Ste. Marie is looking to the public for its feedback on the plan, known as automated speed enforcement (ASE).  

ASE is a system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to help enforce speed limits in school zones and community safety zones. If a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit, the system captures an image that is stored and reviewed by a provincial offences officer. 

An open house has been scheduled for Oct. 9 at the lobby of the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre from 4 to 7 p.m. as an opportunity for the public to provide input. Staff from the city will also be on hand to discuss details of the project, which is expected to generate 20,000 new speeding tickets a year in Sault Ste. Marie. 

Based on an estimated $60 a ticket, the plan would generate $1.2 million a year in revenue.

Automated speeding tickets are issued to the registered plate holder of the offending vehicle, who may not have been driving at the time of the offence — and it’s for this reason that demerit points aren't applied to those infractions.

As part of its plan, the city is also proposing to set up a secondary tribunal system to adjudicate infractions outside of the traditional Provincial Offences Act court system, in an effort to prevent court backlogs and to manage prosecution workloads. 

The tribunal would require office space, equipment and fixtures, as well as three new employees with a total payroll of $267,000. A part-time hearing officer would also be needed to review and make a final decision when tickets are challenged. 

Annual costs of operating the cameras and new office are estimated at $945,000, with an additional $110,000 in first-year startup expenses.

Those unable to attend the Oct. 9 open house can submit feedback through an online survey. More information can be found at www.saultstemarie.ca/ase.

- with files from David Helwig