N.L. Speed Camera Tickets: $3.12M Coming by Mail

The province is now mailing out 8,000 speeding tickets worth more than $3 million after the speed camera program was paused by last fall’s two-month Canada Post strike.

That means thousands of drivers are in for a big, expensive surprise as they receive tickets for anywhere between $200 and $1,900 in the mail — and some drivers may get more than one.

“The previous administration held off putting tickets out in the mail. That was a decision at that time and, as I’m new to this portfolio, I didn’t want to make any knee jerk decisions,” Minister of Government Services Mike Goosney told CBC News.

“But we’ll start rolling out the program here in the very near future.”

Rotating Canada Post strikes ended in November and the former Minister of Government Services believes the Progressive Conservative government should have sent speed camera tickets out more quickly.

“Obviously, one of the platforms of the PC government was safer communities. We know that speed cameras significantly impact driver behavior. So people slow down and there are fewer accidents when there are speed cameras,” said government services Opposition critic Sarah Stoodley.

“Obviously, if you’re not sending out tickets, people’s behaviour may not change. So I think it’s extremely disappointing.”

The speed camera program had another setback as well. Last summer the solar panels that energize the speed cameras on Veterans Memorial Highway were stolen.

“While this was disappointing, the vendor acted quickly to ensure the camera continued operating using an alternative power source while repairs were completed,” said Goosney.

More cameras coming

There are seven speed cameras operating across the province. They are located on Waterford Bridge Road and Larkhall Street in St. John’s, Blackmarsh Road in Mount Pearl, Karwood Drive in Paradise, the Trans-Canada Highway in Gander, as well as two locations on the Veterans Memorial Highway.

“Camera locations are selected based on traffic data and in consultation with police and municipalities where excessive speeding presents a safety risk,” said a statement from Government Services.

Three more cameras are coming. The program started last July and so far $45,338 in fines have been collected, according to Government Services.

The previous Liberal government signed a $3.9 million dollar, five-year contract with Jenoptik Smart Mobility Solutions to install, operate and maintain speed cameras. The cameras detect speeds and capture images of license plates. Tickets are issued to the registered owner of a vehicle caught speeding.

Goosney said the Progressive Conservative government is committed to continuing the program.

Stoodley’s department launched a three-month pilot program in summer 2023. Cameras were set up on roads in Mount Pearl and Paradise. The cameras captured more than 94,000 vehicles travelling at least 11 km/h over the speed limit, but warnings were handed out rather than tickets.

If cameras continue to capture speeding vehicles at the same rate as they did during the pilot project, the program could potentially collect tens of millions of dollars annually.

However, Goosney and Stoodley said the goal of the program isn’t to raise revenues and both said they hope speed cameras will encourage drivers to slow down.

Stoodley defends speed camera program

The former Liberal government scrapped the sugar tax it brought in. At the time, former Liberal premier John Hogan said nixing the tax was part of an effort to make life more affordable for people struggling to make ends meet.

Will the speed camera program suffer a similar fate as drivers react to receiving speed camera tickets for hundreds of dollars in the mail?

Stoodley hopes the camera will encourage people to drive more slowly and prevent collisions and tragedies.

“It isn’t a cash grab. Ideally there’s no speeding, there are no accidents, and we don’t make any money, ” she said.

“I don’t think anyone can argue with, you know, you shouldn’t speed in a school zone. And if you speed excessively in a school zone, there’s a financial penalty for that.”

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.