Calgary police see significant drop in speeding tickets after photo radar ban
Speeding enforcement in Calgary has seen a significant decline compared with the same time period last year, according to new data from the Calgary Police Service, now that there are restrictions on the use of photo radar.
The data shows between January and the end of April, the service issued 25,761 fewer tickets than during the same time period last year, when 98,523 speeding tickets were issued.
In April alone, when the photo radar restrictions took effect, the figures show 12,380 fewer tickets were issued when compared with last year; 30,604 speeding tickets were issued in April 2024.
'I do feel it's kind of a neglectful way of dealing with this in regards to taking that area away from us,' said Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward with the Calgary police traffic unit.
A significant portion of the drop in tickets in the first quarter of 2025 is due to Calgary police phasing out speed on green cameras earlier than the April 1 deadline. 29,573 speed on green camera tickets were issued between January and April 2024.
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According to police, the change was made when the province announced in December it was restricting intersection safety devices to red-light cameras only, allowing a transition period.
The provincial rules do still allow photo radar to be used in construction zones, as well as school and playground zones.
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Calgary police issued 5,928 photo radar tickets in those areas after the rules took effect in April, 781 fewer tickets than in April of last year.
There were 10,408 speeding tickets issued by officers in April, a decline of 595 tickets compared with last year, and Woodward said officers are being asked to pick up enforcement.
'Each district is now responsible for looking at areas of serious fatalities or even just collisions where officers should be going out there and doing enforcement,' Woodward said.
In February, CPS said the decision from the provincial government to claw back the use of photo radar, which in turn would have an impact on police revenue, would create a $28-million budget shortfall in 2025 'and beyond.'
In March, city council voted in favour of using reserve funds to cover that gap this year.
When asked about the reduction in enforcement through tickets, Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek said she is concerned about the impact to traffic safety on city streets.
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'Just last week, in the span of a day, we had some serious collisions and we had a death, so I will reiterate automated traffic enforcement was always meant to save lives,' Gondek told Global News.
'The provincial government has now put us in a position where Calgarians are unsafe, especially on high-speed roadways.'
In response, Alberta transportation minister Devin Dreeshen said the province's goal was never to hand out as many tickets as possible, but to improve road safety.
In a statement, Dreeshen said the new rules prioritize enforcement in high-risk zones like schools, playgrounds, and construction areas.
He noted municipalities still have the option to apply to use photo radar in locations outside the new rules, but only if they can prove that traffic-calming measures are ineffective and the location poses a high collision risk.
'Albertans support safe roads, not hidden cameras on commuter routes. We listened, and now we're seeing a system that's more transparent, targeted, and accountable,' he said in a statement.
According to Woodward, 35 per cent of the fatal collisions in Calgary last year were due to speed.
He said red light cameras are still in effect, and photo radar will be in nine construction zones and in some of Calgary's more than 300 playground zones.
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But Woodward said the police service is concerned heading into the summer months, and is urging people to be mindful of their speed.
'I'm concerned,' he said. 'The road conditions will be relatively good and that does give people the ability where they feel they can speed.'
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