Just in time for back-to-class, the city of Toronto is launching a pilot of photo radar in two school zones.
The four-month pilot was unveiled Tuesday at Don Mills Rd and Overlea Blvd with schools on two of the intersection's four corners and a third school close by. Cameras and signs are also being mounted near Allenby Junior Public School, north of Avenue Rd and Eglinton Ave W.
Drivers photographed speeding through the pilot zones won't get a ticket in the mail. They won't see a warning either.
While the previous Ontario government gave cities the option to add photo radar or automated speed enforcement in limited cases in the spring of 2017, Toronto is waiting on the new Progressive Conservative government to make regulatory changes to move forward.
Mayor John Tory says the progress toward a full rollout expected by the end of 2019 has been frustrating but discussions are continuing in good faith.
Ontario's Transportation Minister told NEWSTALK 1010 last month the PCs had no plans to undo the plan for automated speed enforcement in community safety zones like school zones.
"We believe the municipalities are the best ones to make that judgement," John Yakabuski told NEWSTALK 1010 on August 2.
Toronto officials are using the pilot to make sure collecting data on the volume and speed of vehicles passing through the school zones. They will have a chance to test the camera technology, tweak sign placement and to get a sense of staffing needs for the program.
"We wanted to make that when were given the green light, we could roll it out pretty effectively and easily," says Barbara Gray, General Manager of Toronto Transportation Services.