Windsor drivers have their say on recommendation to add more red light cameras in the city

Windsor city councillors will consider a recommendation for 10 more red light cameras to be installed in Windsor this year.

The cameras have been capturing images of drivers entering and passing through intersections after the light has turned red since they were installed at 10 locations in the city back in 2022.

A report going before city council on Feb. 26 recommends adding increasing the number of red light cameras in the city in 2024 from 10 to 20.

“I think it's a good idea because there's a lot people who run the red lights,” said Windsor driver Stephanie McGrayne.

Doing so at an intersection with a red light camera results in an automatic $325 ticket to the owner of the vehicle.

“That's a lot of money but then again, you know, running a red light can cause an accident,” McGrayne added.

Drivers who fail to come to a complete stop when making a right turn at a red light are also subject to a ticket.

Last year, violations captured by red light cameras resulted in 6,141 tickets being issued.

“I personally want to see them in school zones, construction zones. You've got a terrific engineering department in Windsor. They can focus on the troubled intersections,” said Ontario Safety League President Brian Patterson.

From left to right, Stephanie McGrayne, Genevieve Pearl, and Jim Reid, seen on Feb. 19, 2024. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

The City of Windsor currently has 296 signalized intersections.

Patterson added while there could be a day when red light cameras are at every signalized intersection, that's not likely to happen soon.

“I think I'll have been long retired before we go there because there is a financial investment in adopting this technology in the community,” he said.

Out of $1,224,201 collected by the city in red light camera tickets last year, operational expenses ate up $215,063 — resulting in a net revenue of $1,009,138.

While the recommended locations for the 10 additional cameras have not been announced, some drivers in Windsor already have an idea of where they want to see them installed.

“I live near Met hospital at the corner of Tecumseh [Road] and Kildare [Road]. There’s been a lot of accidents there so it’d be nice of people pay more attention to the lights there,” said Jim Reid.

Genevieve Pearl said adding more red light cameras in Windsor is “a great idea.”

“I work near Provincial [Road] and Walker [Road] and it’s one of the worst intersections for people going through the lights constantly,” she said. “It’s a lot of semis coming off or going towards the 401. They just think because it’s late at night or early in the morning that they just don’t have to stop. A few times, my husband has almost been hit.”

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.

These are located at:

1. Wyandotte Street East and Goyeau.
2. Wyandotte Street and Ouellette Avenue.
3. Howard Avenue at the E.C. Row eastbound off-ramp.
4. University Avenue West and Crawford Avenue.
5. McHugh Street and Clover Avenue.
6. Giles Boulevard and Ouellette Avenue.
7. Seminole Street and Central Avenue.
8. Erie Street East and Goyeau Street.
9. Huron Church Road and Tecumseh Road West.
10. Eugenie Street East and McDougall Avenue.