October 28,2025
The Canadian Press
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is moving to limit debate and bypass public input on three major pieces of legislation ;including one that would eliminate the province’s municipal speed camera program.
Government House Leader Steve Clark announced plans to fast-track a new Red Tape Reduction Bill that bundles together the speed camera ban, a labour bill, and an emergency management bill. The government intends to cut off debate after the second reading, skip the committee stage entirely, and shorten the time allotted for the final (third) reading.
Over the summer, Premier Ford openly criticized speed cameras as a “cash grab,” despite opposition from parents, police chiefs, and researchers at SickKids Hospital who argued the devices save lives. Both NDP Leader John Vanthof and Liberal Leader John Fraser accused the government of silencing debate.
More than 20 mayors urged Ford to reform rather than scrap the program, but he rejected their calls, saying speed cameras are ineffective and that measures such as speed bumps, roundabouts, and flashing signs work better. However, municipal data and a joint study by SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University show that speed cameras do reduce speeding.
The same bill also includes several other measures , such as increasing worker mobility, particularly in the health care sector; streamlining the Clean Water Act requiring automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at construction sites; and introducing a mechanism to report fraudulent job ads on posting platforms.
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