The Alberta government has announced more changes to photo radar around the province.
“Effective April 1, 2025, ticketing on numbered provincial highways will end as photo radar will be restricted to school, playground and construction zones. Intersection safety devices in Alberta will also be restricted to red light enforcement only, ending the ‘speed-on-green’ ticketing function,” stated the provincial government in a news release.
Additionally, in high-collision regions and in situations where existing safety measures are ineffective, municipalities will have the authority to request, on an extraordinary basis, that the province authorize additional photo radar installations.
According to the province, these types of exceptions will be subject to an audit every two years to assess the effectiveness of photo radar at the site in reducing collisions.
“This is great news for Alberta drivers. These changes will once and for all kill the photo radar cash cow in Alberta. Albertans can be confident that photo radar will only be used to improve traffic and roadside worker safety and not to make money,” shared Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.
Over the course of the following four months, the government will examine each photo radar facility that is currently in the province. Those that are judged inefficient or located outside of a playground, school, or construction zone will be eliminated as part of that review.
“This is expected to reduce the current 2,200 approved sites by 70 per cent, which would also better align the amount of photo radar with other provinces. Currently, there are about 70 per cent more photo radar sites used in 24 Alberta municipalities than the next highest province.”
The province believes allowing these changes to be implemented over the next four months provides municipalities time to transition, update equipment and adjust contracts with vendors.
“Municipalities will be encouraged to use traffic-calming measures to improve traffic safety, including speed warning signs, speed tables (large flat speed bump), public education campaigns and other tools designed to improve traffic safety. The province will also help make roads safer by providing municipalities with support to re-engineer roads and intersections that have been proven to be unsafe.”
According to the province, these are the five sites that handed out the most tickets last year:
- Strathcona County – Baseline Road/17 St., 52,558 tickets (144/day) $5,956,573 in fines.
- Edmonton – Gateway Blvd./34 Ave., 23,977 tickets (144/day) $2,717,393 in fines.
- Edmonton – 170 St./118 Ave., 20,241 tickets (55/day) $2,293,980 in fines.
- Calgary – Beddington Tr./Country Hills Blvd., 19,337 tickets (53/day) $2,173,167 in fines.
- Edmonton – 127 St./126 Ave., 18,705 tickets (51/day), $2,119,900 in fines.
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