Decision to add 10 more red light cameras in Windsor delayed

Windsor city council is holding off on installing more red light cameras at intersections in the city.

At Monday’s meeting, council referred the recommendation to the Environment, Transportation and Public Safety Standing Committee.

Mayor Drew Dilkens says he wants more information before a decision is made to install 10 more red light cameras.

“We may move forward with 10 more cameras or 20 more cameras sometime in the future, but each of those advances should be based on data analysis,” says Dilkens. “And so we said that we would have data back to city council before we move forward and we didn’t get that data, so kicking this to the committee to review further, I think was the right approach and ultimately would get us to the right place."

According to an administration report, 6,141 red light camera tickets were issued in 2023 compared to 5,318 in 2022.

In 2023, the city's net revenue was just over $1 million, while in 2022 it was close to $609,000.

Drivers receive a $325 ticket if they run a red light at one of the 10 intersections with the cameras.

Dilkens says he wants to know if the red light cameras are actually changing driver behaviour.

"Because if it's not changing behaviour, I either want to add an additional tool to that particular intersection and ask why not? What's the purpose of this if it's actually not improving public safety?," he says.

The City of Windsor's first Red Light Camera (RLC) system was activated on Jan. 1, 2022 with a total of 10 systems coming online by the end of February 2022 at the following intersections:

1. Wyandotte Street East at Goyeau

2. Wyandotte Street at Ouellette Avenue

3. Howard Avenue at EC Row E/B Off Ramp

4. University Avenue West at Crawford Avenue

5. McHugh Street at Clover Avenue

6. Giles Blvd at Ouellette Avenue

7. Seminole Street at Central Avenue

8. Erie Street East at Goyeau Street

9. Huron Church Road at Tecumseh Road West

10. Eugenie Street East at McDougall Avenue

The locations were chosen based on a review of the five-year history of collisions for both side impact collisions and rear end collisions, and through consultation with Windsor Police and the vendor.

With files from AM800's Rusty Thompson.