Safe Streets Monitoring Program Frequently Asked Questions

The Town of Georgina’s Safe Streets Monitoring Program also known as Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) is an automated system that uses cameras and a speed measurement devices to enforce speed limits. It is a speed enforcement tool that uses technology to help make roads safer for all road users. An ASE system captures and records images of vehicles travelling more than the posted speed limit in community safety zones with tickets issued to the registered plate holder regardless of who was driving. This will result in a monetary fine, but no demerit points will be applied.

The Town is implementing Safe Streets Monitoring Program in Community Safety Zones to curb speeding, alter driver behaviour and increase safety for the community. Speeds within these zones are typically lower than other road segments, however, the risks are much higher. Speeding in these zones puts the lives of our most vulnerable people at unnecessary risk and the Safe Streets Monitoring Program is designed to slow drivers down and keep our community safe

ASE is one of many strategies used to improve safety in places with people who are at risk, such as school zones and community safety zones. It has been demonstrated that ASE can effectively enforce speed limits, improve driver awareness, and reduce pedestrian injury and fatalities. Higher speeds lead to higher injury severity in a collision.

Several other cities throughout North America have utilized ASE as a tool with great success. The use of ASE has resulted in better speed compliance, fewer collisions and less severity in the collisions that do occur. Some examples include:

• In 2016, Quebec reported average speeds reduced by 13.3 km/h and collisions reduced by 15 to 42 per cent at ASE sites.
• Saskatchewan saw an overall reduction of speed in school areas. The average speed fell by 17 per cent and speed related casualty collisions fell by 63 per cent, which resulted in 51 per cent fewer injuries. 56 per cent of Saskatchewan residents wanted the ASE program to continue, with 93 per cent of them wanting the program to expand.
• New York City saw speeding reduced by 63 per cent and pedestrian injuries reduced by 23 per cent in ASE areas.

The Safe Streets Monitoring Program is about safety and transparency. Clear signage will be posted within each community safety zone where a system is in place and active. The Town will also be implementing mandatory 'municipal speed cameras coming soon' signage 90 days prior to the installation of any safe streets monitoring cameras. Refer to the Safe Streets page for the most up-to-date location information.

ASE is just as accurate at detecting speed as traditional speed measurement devices used by police. As well, the systems are tested for accuracy regularly and are required to be calibrated every 12 months.

After the ASE system captures an image of a vehicle exceeding the speed limit, the image is sent to Newmarket’s processing centre (the Town of Georgina has partnered with the Town of Newmarket’s processing centre) to be reviewed by a Provincial Offences Officer. The ticket, which contains a digitized copy of the image and an enlargement of the licence plate image, is mailed to the registered plate owner. On conviction, the penalty is a fine, no demerit points are applied.

No. This is not a video-based system. Only a still image of the motor vehicle and licence plate is captured.

Yes, the Penalty Order will include vehicle details including an image of the vehicle and licence plate. The image does not capture the driver, only the vehicle, as these contraventions are against the vehicle owner.

There is no maximum number of tickets a vehicle can receive. A ticket may be issued to the registered plate owner each time their vehicle exceeds the speed limit in an ASE-enforced community safety zone. The Town recommends that vehicle operators drive at or below the posted speed limit when driving through community safety zones to ensure that they will not receive a penalty.

Information gathered by the Town’s speed enforcement program is confidential and will not be disclosed to insurance companies.

No. Since the ticket is issued to the registered plate holder and not the driver, no demerit points or licence suspension can be applied. However, unpaid fines may affect renewal of your licence plate at the Ministry of Transportation.

ASE tickets (penalty orders) are mailed out via regular mail to the vehicle’s registered owner within 30 days of the contravention.

All ASE tickets are mailed to the registered plate owner within 23 calendar days of the contravention. The ticket is deemed received in the mail seven calendar days after the day on which it was mailed. You have 30 days from the seventh day after which it was mailed to pay or dispute your ticket.

The technology does not capture images of the driver or passengers, only the licence plate. Given the restrictions of the image capture technology, a ticket can only be issued to the registered plate holder, not the person responsible for the infraction.

If someone receives a ticket, the options will be included in more detail on the ticket. However, there are two basic options:

1. Pay the fine according to the instructions on the ticket.
2. Request to dispute the fine

It is important to note that if one of the options is not exercised within 30 days of receiving the ticket, it will be deemed that the registered plate holder does not wish to dispute the charge and the ticket is upheld. If the fine is still unpaid, an additional administrative fee will be added by the Ministry of Transportation. This may affect your ability to renew your vehicle permit until the ticket and all additional charges are paid.

Pay online (under development, will be available soon)

You can request to dispute your ticket within 30 calendar days of receiving the ticket in the mail. You can make a request online or visit Service Georgina at the Civic Centre to fill out a request for dispute form.

The Town uses the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) to administer and adjudicate ASE tickets (called penalty orders).

For more information on the dispute process, visit the Town’s AMPS page. 

Unpaid fines will be sent to the Ministry of Transportation office where the registered plate owner will need to pay prior to renewing their licence plate (often referred to as plate denial). Additional administrative fees will apply.

Most rental agreements include a clause that enables rental agencies to pass any fines incurred to the driver.

Yes. Since the ASE system is automated, it is triggered by any motor vehicle exceeding the speed limit in a community safety zone.

However, the Highway Traffic Act provides exemptions for emergency vehicles if they are responding to an emergency or in the course of duty. These tickets will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in compliance with the legislation. Emergency vehicles can also dispute a ticket through the same process as any other ticket, if necessary. The exemption can be found under section 128 (13) of the Act.

No. Employees operating Town vehicles must obey speed limits and will be ticketed just like any other vehicle. In addition, the Town has a policy holding employees responsible for paying their own fines.

An ASE fine consists of three components: the set fine, victim fine surcharge and MTO search fee.

a. The set fine is based on the kilometre over the maximum speed limit recorded multiplied by the penalty rate which is a formula set out in Ontario Regulation 355/22 under the Highway Traffic Act.

b. The victim fine surcharge is an amount required by legislation, which is credited to the provincial victims’ justice fund account. This amount also varies based on the kilometres over the speed limit recorded.

c. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) fee of $8.25 which is the cost incurred by the Town to obtain registered plate owner and address information.

For example, if a vehicle is caught speeding 15 km over the posted speed limit, the fine will be as follows: (15 km per hour x $5[set penalty fine]) + $15 [Victim’ Justice Fund] + $8.25 [MTO Search Fee] = $98.25

Set penalty amounts

Kilometres per hour over the speed limit and penalty rate

• 1 to 19km over the speed limit - $5 per km
• 20 to 29km over the speed limit - $7.50 per km
• 30 to49km over the speed limit - $12 per km
• 50km or moreover the speed limit - $19.50 per km

Victims’ Justice Fund Fee

The Victims’ Justice Fund Fee applied to the fine is based on the penalty rate noted in Figure A multiplied by the kilometer per hour over the speed limit.

Penalty rate x kilometre per hour over the speed limit and Victims Justice Fund Fee

• $0 - $50: $10
• $51 - $75: $15
• $76 - $100: $20
• $101 - $150: $25
• $151 - $200: $35
• $201 - $250: $50
• $251 - $300: $60
• $301 - $350: $75
• $351 - $400: $85
• $401 - $450: $95
• $451 - $500: $110
• $501 - $1,000: $125
• Over $1,000: 25% of Penalty Amount

Fines issued within Community Safety Zones are the same regardless of the time of day.

Speed limits are not guidelines – they are the law. Driving at, or below, the posted limit will ensure you do not get a ticket.

The goal of the program is for vehicle operators to see a Community Safety Zone sign and follow the posted speed limit in these designated areas. Therefore, the Town recommends that vehicle operators drive at or below the posted speed limit when driving through Community Safety Zones to ensure that they will not receive a ticket.

The data collected by the ASE system is encrypted and stored on a secure device, then transferred through a cloud-based data transfer to the processing centre. Only Provincial Offences Officers have access to the system and only the ASE image processing software can use the encrypted data. Once the data has been downloaded, all recorded data on the storage unit is erased.

ASE is the most effective road safety tool for reducing speeds and is only deployed in community safety zones and school zones. As driver behaviour changes and vehicle speeds decrease in these zones, the funds generated by ASE will also decrease. Any additional funds generated by the program will be used to support the Safe Streets for Safe Use program within the Town. At the Sept. 11, 2024 Council meeting, Council directed that revenues collected from the program be first used to cover the program costs, and following that, the first $50,000 overage be used for the implementation of the Safe Streets Policy and the next $250,000 overage be used to offset the general tax levy within the Operations and Infrastructure Department relating to road safety. Staff were directed to report back to Council in 2025 on any overage beyond $300,000 and where it is to be allocated.

The cameras will be rotated every three to six months. 

While traditional enforcement will still be used, ASE is a complementary method that enables police officers to focus on other critical and time-sensitive tasks. Through ASE, incidents of speeding can be detected on an ongoing and consistent basis, ensuring that school children and other road users always feel safe, not just during traffic blitzes. Using ASE consistently also lends to altering driver behaviour for road safety.

The Town has taken a data-driven approach to identifying where to place ASE in the community. Municipalities throughout Ontario capture speed data in their communities on a regular basis and this data is now being used to identify exactly where speed is a factor in road and pedestrian safety in school zones and community safety zones, and where ASE can be implemented to help make a difference for those municipalities who choose to implement it.