Below is a letter that I sent to City of Vaughan Members of Council for the June 24, 2025 Council meeting as a communication for Item 15. Automated Speed Enforcement Update.
Dear Members of Council,
I am providing my support for the continuation of the Automated Speed Enforcement program in Vaughan. ASE saves lives and reduces injuries. The inconvenience of additional seconds to motorists’ trip far outweighs the benefits for people’s safety, reduces the risk of litigation costs for the City, and can even decrease reputational risks for the City of Vaughan. The pause for ASE should not continue. I have been consistent in my support for ASE, specifically at the January 2023 budget meeting and in September 2024 when the Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Plan went to Committee.
I make these comments as a pedestrian, transit rider, cyclist, and motorist.I want the streets to be safe for all road users especially children and seniors. Having ASE is a key piece of accomplishing that. It keeps motorists accountable and their focus on the road, helping to ensure that the seniors and the children who I see walking can go do so with increased safety. Too many times, I see motorists on their phones while driving. For instance, I observed a man on his phone while driving on June 15th at 10:15 AM eastbound on Clark Ave from the Dufferin Clark Community Centre to New Westminster Dr.
With ASE, we’re not only reducing speed – as Staff data in the report unequivocally shows – it would even help to reduce instances of distracted driving. Staff have done their due diligence of informing the public about municipal speed cameras ahead of time and once they are in place, even exceeding what was required by regulation. I’m worried about the resources that are going into making it more obvious that about the placement of automated speed enforcement cameras. It looks questionable that there is advocacy that will happen or has happened to have beacons on the signs. The point of ASE is to change behaviour. In fact, there’s a positive feedback loop here because the more behaviour changes the safer it is for all road users, e.g. pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.
Instead of advocating to the province for beacons, I would suggest advocating for stopping the ability of motorists to tint their windows past a certain darkness. I have observed a proliferation of dark tinted windows on vehicles over the last five years. I believe that this provides drivers with cover to engage on their phones while driving and increases their chances of impunity if a collision occurs since it becomes harder to identify them. I have suggestions for where else you may place municipal speed cameras in Ward 5. Firstly, on Clark Ave. between Bathurst St. and Hodan Nalayeh Secondary School. Secondly, on Glen Shields Ave. between the northern entrance of Oakmount Crescent and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Elementary School.
I’m saying this based on my observations as a driver and as a pedestrian. I urge you to think about the interests of multiple publics that you’re serving in keeping ASE going permanently, e. g. children, mothers walking with their strollers, new immigrants getting to their jobs at odd hours using transit and their feet or bicycles, seniors simply going to get some exercise or meet their friends. You’re in a position to drive this point home through this program and send the signal beyond Vaughan’s borders that this city is serious about creating safer roads for all people. Cars are bound to get more expensive with tariffs. Not everybody can afford them. They may also want to save for rent or to buy a house.
Imagine how many fatalities and injuries were avoided during the three-week period that ASE was in place. Let’s keep going and help to reduce the risk of fatalities and injuries in these circumstances. Please do not move back on the implementation of traffic calming measures and do not walk back ASE. Stay the course on this.
Thank you for reading my letter.
Sincerely,
Jean-François Obregon
