In this episode, Premier Notley announces an end to the use of automatic traffic enforcement technology, also known as photo radar, in Alberta. Photo radar has been used in the province of Alberta for over 30 years, and has been a controversial policy for many Albertans.
00:00:00.000Today we're here to discuss the future of photo radar in Alberta and as municipalities have employed automatic traffic enforcement technology also known as photo radar for more than 30 years here in the province of Alberta and during that time as Mayor Acker pointed out it has been a very divisive policy for many Alberta drivers.
00:00:21.320Now some Albertans believe that municipalities operate photo radar solely to generate revenue and is not for the improvement of traffic safety. Actually a recent leisure survey of Albertans found that 60% of Albertans surveyed believe photo radar is primarily focused on revenue generation and that same survey found 73% of Albertans said photo radar did not actually improve their driving habits.
00:00:50.180So there's a lot of concern over fishing holes that we've heard from Albertans. Spots essentially that municipalities know can generate lots of ticket revenue without actually improving traffic safety.
00:01:02.720Now over the years our government has made several changes to automated traffic enforcement. We've instituted a freeze since 2019 for municipalities to purchase new equipment and to list new sites.
00:01:17.060Now since then we've now had years worth of data to review and we have come to the conclusion that some photo radar sites are indeed designed to generate revenue not to improve safety.
00:01:28.060So this single site here at Ray Gibbons Drive is one of these fishing holes in particular. So when you look behind me there's about 1500 tickets that get issued here on a quarterly basis about every three months that generate about $200,000 worth of revenue.
00:01:50.060So in about one year here just outside of Edmonton they'll have $1 million worth of photo radar tickets.
00:01:57.060Now that's about 11 times the average site compared in the city of Edmonton. And there are other fishing holes along the Edmonton and Calgary ring roads. So on Stoney Trail and Anthony Henday.
00:02:08.060Now these sites are focused on revenue generation rather than traffic safety and so let me be perfectly clear this will end here in the province of Alberta.
00:02:15.060So that's the primary announcement here today is that people will know that photo radar continuing will only be used for safety here in Alberta not to generate millions of dollars for the 26 municipalities that currently allow photo radar.
00:02:23.060So that's why we're banning the use of photo radar on our provincial ring roads and we'll put an end to these fishing holes.
00:02:44.060So we are extending the current cap of new photo radar equipment and locations until December of next year.
00:02:52.060And our government does recognize that photo radar can improve traffic safety.
00:02:56.060So that is why we are allowing photo radar sites from these ring roads to be repositioned within the cities of Edmonton and Calgary to improve pedestrian safety and sensitive areas within Edmonton and Calgary.
00:03:11.060So the options that they will have there will be 22 new sites in Edmonton or possibility of 22 new sites here in Edmonton and eight in Calgary that could go to new school zones, playground zones and construction zones.
00:03:27.060So that you know the redeploying of photo radar to these areas will help people slow down and protect vulnerable Albertans, pedestrians and workers.
00:03:38.060So over the next year the ministry of transportation and economic corridors and public safety and emergency services will engage with 26 municipalities that use photo radar and law enforcement to get rid of every fishing hole in the province of Alberta and to make sure that photo radar is focused on safety and not revenue generation.
00:03:59.060So I want Albertans to know that I am committed to ensuring that photo radar fishing holes will end here in Alberta and that Alberta's government will ensure a safer, more efficient vehicle friendly network in the province.
00:04:12.060Now we've recently removed GDL restrictions on over 500,000 Alberta licenses or young Alberta drivers and there's more to come from the Department of Transportation and Economic Corridors to support drivers from every corner of our beautiful province.