Latest news with #CityofVaughan
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Saskatchewan lifts fire ban for far north amid wildfire battles
A fire ban sign is seen in this undated photo. (City of Vaughan) The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has lifted the provincial fire ban thanks to improved conditions in the province's far north. Officials are set to provide an update on the provincial wildfire response. That news conference will be streamed live at the top of this article at 1:30 p.m. The change became official at 11 p.m. Wednesday, while the SPSA made the announcement early Thursday morning. The ban affected all Crown lands located north of the provincial forest boundary to the Churchill River – along with the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District. Provincial parks and municipalities may have their own local fire bans or restrictions in place, the agency reminded the public. A full list can be found here. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, there are 79 active wildfires. Six are considered contained, 11 are not contained, 40 are undergoing assessment – while protecting values is the priority of the remaining 22 fires. A total of 466 blazes have been recorded so far this fire season – well ahead of the five-year average of 372 but below last year's count of 476. Eight communities remain under evacuation. -More details to come…
CTV News
7 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Several GTA communities have now issued fire bans. Here is why.
A fire ban sign is seen in this undated photo. (City of Vaughan) Two more municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area have put in place a fire ban as the region continues to see prolonged dry conditions. On Tuesday, Vaughan and Burlington issued the bans. They join Ajax, Aurora, Newmarket, Oakville, Richmond Hill, Oshawa and Peterborough in prohibiting open-air burning. The municipalities said the bans are in response to the dry and hot weather conditions, limited rainfall and smoke from wildfires. The last time the region saw more than 10 millimetres of rain was on July 20. Since then, the GTA has been under two multi-day heat events. While conditions in some areas are expected to slightly improve this evening as a cooler air mass is forecast to arrive, hot and humid conditions could persist in the GTA through Wednesday. There is a chance for thunderstorms between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, which could bring much-needed precipitation. The use of outdoor wood-burning appliances, like fire pits and fireplaces, bonfires, chimineas and campfires, is prohibited until further notice. In Vaughan, existing fire permits are cancelled and no new permits will be issued as a result. The City of Burlington warned that those who do not comply with the ban may be fined or invoiced. 'This burn ban applies to the entire city, including properties with approved burn permits. The ban will remain in effect until further notice. This measure is consistent with burn bans currently in place in many municipalities across Ontario, due to ongoing dry conditions and increased fire risk,' Burlington Fire Department Chief Mathew Williamson said in a statement. Fire tables or bowls and other burning devices that use propane or natural gas as fuel are allowed, and the ban does not apply to small, confined fires used to cook food on a grill, barbeque or pit. Crews battle forest fires in Kawartha Lakes The fire bans come as crews battle two active forest fires in Kawartha Lakes. One is in the Burnt River area, involving 27 hectares of forest and the other is around Kirkfield, involving 33.5 hectares. Kawartha Lakes fire The Kirkfield area forest fire in Kawartha Lakes is seen from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry flight. (City of Kawartha Lakes) Officials said evacuation is not necessary at this time but are warning the public to avoid the areas so crews can safely work on knocking down the fires. A fire ban is also in effect across the City of Kawartha Lakes. 'With fire resources fully engaged in these fires, resources are constrained. Any fire complaints for open-air burning will be treated with zero tolerance,' the city said.
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Vaughan hits pause on speed camera program citing rollout concerns from residents
Speed cameras are coming to 10 locations across Vaughan in March. The City of Vaughan is temporarily suspending fines from their brand-new speed cameras amid a 'spike' in calls from residents seeking to appeal the penalties and several acts of vandalism. Mayor Steven Del Duca says the city will stop issuing fines until at least September, following a council vote last week. Instead, only warning notices will be sent out while staff review how the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program was implemented. Since the cameras were activated in March, a city report says more than 32,000 tickets have been issued, with nearly 13,000 in the first week alone. The city says the cameras have helped reduce average speeds by nearly 20 per cent across all locations. 'We've heard your concerns loud and clear about the way the program was implemented,' Del Duca wrote in a social media post last week. 'We're committed to getting it right, prioritizing safety while ensuring the program is fair to everyone.' Which locations saw the biggest surge? Over three weeks, Vaughan issued 32,006 tickets from its 10 ASE cameras. The vast majority came from just six locations, including: New Westminster Drive: 9,877 tickets Kipling Avenue: 6,004 tickets Ansley Grove Road: 5,116 tickets Melville Avenue: 4,772 tickets Peter Rupert Avenue: 2,564 tickets Hilda Avenue: 2,122 tickets New Westminster Drive, where the posted limit is 40 km/h, saw an average speed of 56 km/h, with one vehicle clocked at 97 km/h. The fastest speed recorded across all sites was 145 km/h — caught on Peter Rupert Avenue, which alone has issued over 2,500 tickets. So far, fewer than 40 per cent of all tickets issued have been paid. As of last Wednesday, only 12,252 were settled, leaving more than 18,000 unpaid. Vaughan speed cameras A map shows the locations of several planned locations for 10 rotating speed cameras in Vaughan. Potential solutions staff are considering The city is now considering changes such as improved signage, pavement markings, speed cushions, flex posts, limiting ticket frequency, and potentially restricting the cameras to school hours. 'Our top priority is ensuring the safety of all road users, especially vulnerable ones like school kids and seniors,' Del Duca added. 'Thank you to the community for your emails, calls, and DMs. We're listening and responding based on your feedback.' Some councillors admit getting caught too Coun. Rosanna DeFrancesca says she received a ticket herself and understands residents' frustrations with how quickly violations can add up. 'I've been caught. I've had one ticket, I clocked at 52 (in a 40) and I knew it,' she told CTV News Toronto. 'And I thought, okay, I'm getting a ticket here because it was out of the norm for me… and that's what we want. We want people to condition themselves to pay attention.' Her son, she added, received three tickets in a month. 'We're going to be looking at possibly a warning before an initial ticket, or maybe some discretion within 30 days, because people are getting like, three or four tickets within a 30-day period,' she said. Vaughan speed camera An image of a speed camera at 300 Peter Rupert St. in Vaughan. 'Not a cash grab,' councillor says A staff report that was considered by council last week noted that the city has received a 'spike' in calls since fines first began being issued in April. Staff said that due to the increased calls and email volumes, both Service Vaughan and the city's by-law enforcement division have had to bring on 'surge staff' to assist residents amid rising call wait times. Staff said that on May 12, a recent high of 84 people contacted Service Vaughan about the cameras, may of them looking to dispute their fines. While acknowledging the rollout could have been handled better, DeFrancesca says the program should not be abandoned. 'We want to make sure that they understand that this is not about getting a cash grab. This is about overall safety on our streets,' she said. 'It's only a cash grab if you're speeding. It's not a tax, it's only implemented to people who are speeding.' Police seeking suspects who have been destroying speed cameras in Vaughan Police seeking suspects who have been destroying speed cameras in Vaughan She pointed to longstanding resident concerns about speeding. 'I got elected in 2010 and that's all I heard for the first two terms of my time here as councillor — that you need to slow people down,' she said. 'People are driving too fast.' She also cautioned against removing cameras altogether. 'I personally don't think that opting out of cameras is a good way to go,' she said. 'A lot of residents feel unsafe, even with their children walking to school or to a local library. They're worried about letting their kids walk,' she said.
