Region installing ten red-light cameras across Niagara

Niagara Region is putting 10 red light cameras in operation in the coming weeks – but none of them are slated to be set up in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The cameras started catching violators in Niagara on Wednesday – one at Stanley Avenue and Dunn Street in Niagara Falls, another at Niagara Street and Parnell Road in St. Catharines, and a third at Lincoln Street and Prince Charles Drive in Welland.  

Seven others have already been installed but are not taking snapshots of license plates yet, said Niagara Region spokesperson Janet Rose.  

The remaining seven red light cameras are currently in place and are in the process of testing, she said.

“The timing of the testing and verification process can vary, so there is no specific date by which we can say the cameras will begin capturing violations, but it is expected to be within the next four to six weeks,” said Rose.  

They will be located in Fort Erie, Grimsby, Lincoln, Niagara Falls, Pelham, St. Catharines, and Welland.  

The cameras “have a proven history of improving intersection safety through a reduction in the frequency and severity of collisions,” said the Region in a news release.  

“They are particularly effective in reducing right-angle collisions, which more commonly result in injuries, fatalities, and high societal costs,” the release said, adding the equipment is being put in place as part of the Region’s Vision Zero initiative.  

But NIagara-on-the-Lake will continue to have a camera catching motorists travelling above the speed limit for the rest of the month – one of four in the region that will be moved to a new community safety zone in April that have been in their current spot since early January.  

And when the camera on Niagara Stone Road in front of Crossroads Public School is taken down – there will be one in St. Davids on York Road between Queenston and Concession 3 roads, in front of St. Davids Public School. It will be there until early July.  

Rose said she was unable to provide data about the speed camera on Niagara Stone Road related to how many fines it has captured.  

“At this time we are still in the process of collecting information from this location,” she told The Local.  

“A report expected to be going to council in the spring will have some preliminary data from the Niagara Stone Road location,” she added.  

In January, Scott Fraser, the Region’s associate director of transportation, said although there are warning signs on both sides of Niagara Stone Road through the community safety zone in Virgil, the camera only records the speed of vehicles travelling south.  

The Ontario provincial offences website says the fine for speeding from one to 19 km/h through a community safety zone is $5 per kilometre, and the amount goes up according to the excess speed. The fine will also include a victim surcharge, which is an amount based on the set fine, and a $5 court cost. 

The speed limit in the area of the camera in front of the school is 40km/h from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days and 50 km/h outside of those times.  

Revenues generated by tickets are reinvested in road safety initiatives by the Region.