August 23, 1999
To:Works Committee
From:Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services
Subject:Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to provide the Works Committee with a status report on the Red Light Enforcement Pilot
Project for consideration in association with the supplementary report recommending an award of contract.
Following the contract Tender opening on August 25, 1999, the Project Steering Committee representing the six
participating municipalities will meet to evaluate the tenders for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of red
light camera systems within their respective jurisdictions. A report recommending an award of contract will be submitted
to the Works Committee at its meeting on September 8, 1999.
Due to the tight schedule, the report containing the recommendations may only be distributed to Committee members at the
meeting. This "advance" report provides information on all components of the project as well as the contract tender process
in preparation for the Works Committee meeting on September 8, 1998.
Funding Sources:
The funds required for the City of Toronto's component of the Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project are contained in the
Works and Emergency Services Department Capital Program. The estimated cost for the City of Toronto is $3,000,000.00
and the debt charge will be offset from the revenue generated by offence notices issued through the project.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that this report be considered by the Committee along with the supplementary report to follow on the
award of contract for red light camera systems and forwarded to Council and the Police Services Board for information.
Background:
On December 18, 1998, the Red Light Cameras Pilot Projects Act, 1998 (Bill 102) received Royal Assent. The Act amends
the Highway Traffic Act to enable municipalities, for a period of two years, to use evidence obtained from red light
cameras to issue violation notices. This Act comes into force on a date to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant
Governor when at least one municipality is ready to start its pilot project.
City Council, at its meeting held on December 16 and 17, 1998, resolved that:
(1)authority be granted to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to issue a public tender call for the
supply, installation and maintenance of red-light camera systems at 10 high risk City intersections and the installation of
camera housings and detector subsystems at a further 10 high risk City intersections;
(2)funding for these installations, estimated to be $3,000,000.00, be provided from the 1999 Transportation Capital
Budget and that the debt charge be offset from the revenue generated by tickets produced by the red-light camera system;
(3)the Traffic Services Unit of Toronto Police Services be requested to report on simultaneous police enforcement of an
additional 10 high risk City intersections to satisfy the Minister of Transportation's requirement for the pilot project, and
that extraordinary police costs for this experiment be reimbursed from revenue generated by tickets issued as part of this
pilot project;
(4)application be made to the Insurance Bureau of Canada for funding assistance for this pilot project, including police
enforcement costs;
(5)the appropriate City staff be authorized to meet with provincial officials to finalize the necessary agreements for this
project as required by the new legislation; and
(6)excess revenues generated by the pilot project go to the provision of additional cameras and housings.
Discussion:
Red light running is one of several aggressive driving behaviours that contributes to the annual toll of collisions and
injuries at intersections in Ontario. In 1996, there were 44,971 collisions at signalized intersections operated by
municipalities in Ontario. This accounts for 21 per cent of all motor vehicle collisions in the province. Seventeen per cent
of these collisions were the direct result of drivers disobeying a red light. Collisions resulting from red light running tend to
be more severe than other intersection collisions because they typically involve at least one vehicle travelling at a high rate
of speed. Moreover, in the most serious red light running collisions, the initial impact involves vehicles colliding at right
angles to each other. This means that one vehicle is generally struck on its side. Side impact collisions tend to result in
severe injury for two reasons: first, there is significant intrusion into the cab of the struck vehicle and, second, seat belts are
less effective under these circumstances. Seat belts were designed primarily to protect vehicle occupants involved in
head-on collisions.
In September 1998, the City of Toronto installed a camera on the westbound approach at the intersection of St. Clair
Avenue West and Dufferin Street as an operational test of the equipment. The camera recorded about 60 red light
violations per day prior to the installation of a warning sign and a media announcement. Once the warning sign was
installed and the location was revealed to the media, the number of violations was reduced to about 30 per day.
In announcing Bill 102, the Province stipulated that municipalities wishing to introduce red-light camera pilot projects will
be required to introduce stepped-up police enforcement at other high-risk intersections to allow for comparison between
the cameras and traditional enforcement. In February 1999, the Ontario Minister of Transportation invited interested
municipalities and police services to attend a series of "Kick-off" meetings in order to establish a shared understanding
regarding the purpose of the pilot projects, to address operational issues, and to reinforce a partnership approach with key
stakeholders. Since then, a provincial-municipal Project Steering Committee was established to guide and direct three
Working Groups. Working Group 1 is responsible for determining site selection criteria, conducting the evaluation study,
establishing a police enforcement strategy and preparing a public awareness program. Working Group 2 is responsible for
establishing a common province-wide approach to equipment selection, installation and operation. Working Group 3 is
responsible for providing input into the regulations being developed under the Highway Traffic Act and Provincial
Offences Act, regarding the processing of charges through the court system, as well as providing legal advice as required to
the Steering Committee and Working Groups.
Municipalities and Police Services participating in the pilot project include the Regional Municipality of Halton, Regional
Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth (with the City of Hamilton), Regional Municipality of Peel (with the City of
Mississauga), Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, City of Toronto and Regional Municipality of Waterloo.
Provincial ministries facilitating the pilot project include the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of the Attorney
General. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario has also provided their advice to the
Working Groups.
(1)Site Selection
Each participating municipality identified high-risk locations based primarily on historical collision data. In total,
municipalities intend to purchase 19 red-light cameras and equip 74 fully prepared sites. Municipalities will be rotating the
cameras around the prepared sites so that photo enforcement will occur at all prepared sites. In addition, participating
police services have been requested to provide stepped-up traditional police enforcement at a total of 30 sites. The City of
Toronto intends to purchase 10 cameras and prepare 40 sites. The exact total will depend upon actual prices received
through the equipment tender process. The Toronto Police Service has committed to providing stepped-up police
enforcement at 6 sites. The proposed 46 sites for the City of Toronto are listed in Appendix A.
In Toronto, the total number of collisions normally associated with red-light running (right-angle, left-turn, pedestrian and
cyclist types) were reviewed for each signalized intersection for the three year period from January 1, 1994 to December
31, 1996. The collision reports for the top 100 intersections were examined and collision totals were provided for each
intersection approach to provide a list of approximately 400 high-risk approaches. Approaches from the ten intersections
with the highest collision frequency in 1997 (all collision types) were also included. From the total list, 46 approaches with
the highest number of relevant collisions were selected. In order to maximize the impact of red-light cameras on the
behavior of road users throughout the City of Toronto, the list of high-risk approaches was reviewed to confirm that there
was relatively even distribution throughout the City. From the list of 46 locations, one intersection per community council
area was selected for stepped-up police enforcement.
Community Safety Zones are designated areas within municipalities where the fines for moving violations including
red-light running are increased. The City of Toronto and other Ontario municipalities are currently evaluating the benefits
of Community Safety Zones. In order to maintain as much independence as possible between the two evaluation studies
(red-light cameras and Community Safety Zones), intersection approaches within Community Safety Zones were not
selected for red-light cameras.
Intersection approaches with streetcar tracks were not selected because most red-light camera systems require vehicle
detectors that are installed in the pavement. The streetcar rails make installation impractical and the radio frequency signals
transmitted from the streetcar track switching equipment may interfere with the calculations performed by the red light
camera system. Similarly, locations undergoing major road construction were not selected because construction activity
prevents the installation of vehicle detectors and makes the installation and operation of other associated red-light camera
system equipment impractical.
(2) Evaluation Study
The objective of the project evaluation is to conduct a before and after study to assess the combined effect of two red light
running countermeasures for intersections with a high incidence of red light running related collisions namely: red light
camera systems and stepped-up police enforcement.
Working Group 1, with the assistance of the Ministry of Transportation, has hired a consultant to conduct the study. The
consultant will study approximately 50 sites in total. Study locations will be comprised of approximately equal numbers of
red light camera sites, stepped-up enforcement sites, and control sites receiving routine police enforcement. Sites will be
matched on the basis of collision frequencies, traffic volumes and approach geometrics. Study locations receiving
increased enforcement will be selected from the 74 red-light camera sites and 30 stepped-up police enforcement sites. In
order to accurately measure the combined effect of the pilot project at the treated sites and to minimize the potential
spillover effect of the increased enforcement at the control sites, it was decided to select control sites that are sufficiently
distant from the treated sites. Municipalities that are not directly participating in the pilot project have been contacted and
arrangements are being made with them to select control sites and collect data from intersections in their jurisdiction.
Data to be collected at all study sites will include collision frequencies, traffic volumes and red light violations. Data
relevant to other violations will be collected at the stepped-up police enforcement sites. Annual totals of red light running
convictions within the court districts of the participating municipalities will be also be obtained. An interim report with
twelve months of after data and a final report with the results for the entire two-year after period will be prepared. The final
report will include a cost accounting for each treatment and for the program as a whole.
(3) Stepped-Up Police Enforcement
Working Group 1, in consultation with participating police services, prepared a stepped-up police enforcement strategy.
The objective of the strategy is to provide an effective sustainable police presence with existing resources allowing police
flexibility to schedule enforcement blitzes. Stepped-up police enforcement will occur at 30 sites in total. Police services for
Hamilton-Wentworth, Ottawa-Carleton, Peel and Toronto will be responsible for six sites each while police services for
Halton and Waterloo will be responsible for three sites each.
Each site will receive two blitzes, one per year, during the course of the two-year pilot project. The project will have three
four-week blitz periods per year, or six in total. The four-week periods will be selected within each of the two-month
periods of March/April, July/August, and October/November. Therefore, the first blitz will occur in the spring of 2000 and
the final blitz will occur in the fall of 2001.
An individual blitz will consist of 20 hours of enforcement in total. Enforcement will occur on 10 separate days, 2 hours
per day, either during the morning or afternoon peak period. The 10 days of enforcement will be selected at random within
the four-week periods.
(4) Public Awareness Program
A public awareness program will be prepared for this project prior to the operation of red light cameras. A campaign guide
is being developed by the Ministry of Transportation that will assist municipalities in addressing the problem of red light
running. The proposed how-to-guide will contain information on planning and implementing a community-based public
education and enforcement program that targets red light runners and intersection safety. The guide will include artwork
for posters, print inserts and flyers, sample radio public service announcements, and information on traffic signs and
signals. It will be distributed to municipalities, community traffic safety groups and police.
In order to satisfy concerns expressed by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, signs will be posted to
advise drivers of the presence of the red-light cameras. Two options are currently being considered. One option is to post
signs advising motorists in advance of each intersection approach with red-light cameras. The other option is to post signs
at the City's boarders advising motorists that City intersections are photo enforced. This issue will be resolved at a later
date.
(5) Equipment Installation and Operation
In January 1999, the City of Toronto requested contractors experienced in the supply and installation of red light camera
systems to submit an application to become a pre-qualified contractor for this project. As a result, the following five firms
were pre-qualified to submit tenders: EDS of Canada Ltd. and Redflex Traffic Systems Pty. Ltd., Guild Electric Limited,
Lockheed Martin IMS Canada Inc., Stacey Electric Company Limited, and Tellis Traffic Inc.
On July 28, 1999 a public tender for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of red-light camera systems for all
participating municipalities was released to the five pre-qualified contractors. The scope of the tender includes the supply,
installation, operation and maintenance of the red light camera units, prepared sites (poles, enclosures, flash units, and
wiring), image processing hardware and software stations, and printers. The operation and maintenance activities include
the supply, loading and unloading, development and delivery of photographic film, as well as, the rotation and maintenance
of the camera units. The tender includes provisions for additional cameras and sites, extended operation and maintenance
beyond the two-year period, and the sale of equipment at the end of the project, if required. Municipalities are responsible
for the field preparation of the camera sites, which will include the installation of the pole bases, wiring and power supply
to the pole bases and the installation of the vehicle detectors in accordance with the successful bidder's specifications.
Although a common tender for all municipalities was issued, each municipality will be required to sign a separate contract
with the successful bidder covering, insurance, bonding and payment issues. Each municipality has assigned a Project
Manager who will be responsible for site supervision, acceptance testing, operating and maintenance issues within their
respective jurisdiction.
(6) Regulations
There are a number of regulations required for the introduction red light cameras including amendments under the
Highway Traffic Act and the Provincial Offences Act.
On April 30, 1999 the Red Light Camera System Evidence regulation made under the Highway Traffic Act was filed with
the registrar of regulations. This regulation sets out the requirements around the photographs and the service of the Offence
Notice. The regulation appeared in the Ontario Gazette on May 15, 1999. On June 21, 1999 the Ministry of the Attorney
General presented the "Rules to Implement Red Light Cameras Pilot Project Act, 1998" to the Provincial Offences Act
Rules Subcommittee.
Regulations dealing with the Certificate of Offence, Offence Notice and the designation of municipalities have yet to be
made and will occur over the next few months.
(7)Processing of Charges and the Municipal Processing Centre
Working Group 3, with the assistance of the Ministry of the Attorney General, defined the process for the laying and
processing of charges using photographic evidence obtained from red light cameras in Ontario. The main sub-components
of the process include: matching photo and plate information, laying of charges by a Provincial Offences Officer, defendant
response options, requesting trial, operation of first attendance facility, trials, defendant appeals and re-openings.
A municipal processing centre is required to perform several functions within this process, primarily: matching photo and
plate information, laying of charges, assisting the Prosecutor in preparing the photographic evidence for first attendance
and trial. The provincial court system is currently responsible for the remaining functions. Processing centre staff will
receive developed rolls of film from the equipment contractor, images from the film will be digitized and retrieved with the
aid of a computer program. A Provincial Offences Officer will view the digital images, and determine if an offence has
occurred. If an offence has occurred, the licence plate number will be read from the digital image and entered on a form to
request uncertified plate registration information from the Ministry of Transportation. Once the plate registration
information is obtained, the Offence Notice Form is completed and mailed to the owner of the vehicle. If a defendant
contests the charge and requests a trial, the municipal processing centre is required to assist the Prosecutor by providing the
original photographs and certified plate registration information.
In order to ensure a consistent approach to the processing of red light camera violations, the Project Steering Committee
opted for a centralized processing centre operated by municipal staff. Furthermore, due to the number of camera sites
proposed for Toronto and the central location of Toronto relative to the participating municipalities, it was decided that the
City of Toronto, Transportation Services would staff and operate the processing centre for all municipalities. The location
of the processing centre will be the Corporate Computer and Communication Centre at 703 Don Mills Road. Agreements
will be negotiated with the other participating municipalities to recover the applicable operating costs for the processing
centre. Details regarding the staffing, office space and equipment requirements will need to be established, however,
preliminary estimates suggest that the minimum staffing requirements for the centre will be one Supervisor, one Provincial
Offences Officer and three Data Entry Clerks.
(8)Financial Aspects
All costs associated with the Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project will be borne by the participating municipalities.
Provincial costs include providing project facilitation and legal services, conducting the evaluation study as well as
developing and supporting systems to provide motor vehicle plate registration information. Provincial costs will be
recovered through a transaction fee each time municipalities request motor vehicle plate registration information.
With respect to the City of Toronto, Council has directed that funding for the installation of red light cameras be provided
from the 1999 Transportation Capital Budget and the debt charge be offset from the revenue generated by tickets produced
by the red light camera system. In addition, Council directed that extraordinary police costs be reimbursed from the
revenue generated by tickets issued as part of the project.
The set fine for running a red light is $155 plus a $30 victim fine surcharge. Currently, all revenues from moving
violations, including red light running, flow to the Province as stipulated in the Provincial Offences Act (POA). The
Province has indicated that municipalities will be able to access these revenues, not including the victim fine surcharge,
once municipalities have assumed responsibility for Courts Administration and Court Support Services for offences under
Parts I and III of the POA and for prosecutions of offences under Part I of the POA. Bill 108, the Streamlining of
Administration of Provincial Offences Act, 1998, provides the framework for this transfer of responsibilities. It is our
understanding that the City of Toronto is currently considering the POA transfer, however, if it proceeds it will not take
place until April 2000 at the earliest.
Given the potential delay in offsetting the debt charge for this project, the Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer has
requested the Ontario Minister of Finance to make the revenues generated from Offence Notices issued through the Red
Light Enforcement Pilot Project available to municipalities prior to the completion of the POA transfer process.
In April 1999, the Province of Ontario and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) announced the Road Safety Value
Partnership (RSVP) program. Through this program, both the Province and the IBC will contribute a matching dollar
amount to a police service wishing to dedicate a component of its budget to the program. The funds are intended for
traditional police enforcement activities and may not be used for the purchase and installation of red light cameras. The
funds may be used by police services, if desired, to offset costs associated with the stepped-up police enforcement activities
for the Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project.
(9)Provincial/Municipal Operational Agreements
In order to become designated as a Red Light Enforcement Pilot area in the regulation, participating municipalities must
sign an operational agreement with the Ministry of Transportation. A draft copy of the Table of Contents for the proposed
operational agreement is included in Appendix B. Staff will also be submitting a recommendation to the Works Committee
at its meeting on September 8, 1999, seeking approval for the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to enter
into this agreement with the Ministry of Transportation.
Operational agreements will clarify the responsibilities of all parties to ensure that the red light offenders are successfully
prosecuted and that the two enforcement strategies are properly evaluated. Agreement provisions will include requirements
for Provincial cost recovery, compliance with the applicable laws, stepped-up police enforcement blitzes, data collection
and submission associated with the evaluation study, intersection selection criteria, minimum specifications for the camera
equipment, business processes to be followed by all parities, termination of contracts and surviving obligations. A common
format will be used for all municipal agreements with the Ministry of Transportation.
(10) Schedule
The following table provides a tentative schedule of the major activities within the Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project:
| Date |
Activity |
| July 28, 1999 |
Equipment tender released to pre-qualified contractors. |
| August 25, 1999 |
Closing date for tender |
| September 1, 1999 |
Start of evaluation study's "before" data collection period |
| September 8, 1999 |
Recommendation to award equipment contract considered by
Toronto Works Committee
Recommendation to enter into an operational agreement with
Ministry of Transportation considered by Toronto Works
Committee |
| Mid-September, 1999 |
Prepare Offence Notice and Certificate of Offence |
| September 28, 1999 |
Recommendation to award equipment contract considered by
Toronto Council
Recommendation to enter into an operational agreement with
Ministry of Transportation considered by Toronto Council
Award of equipment contract to successful bidder |
| Early-October, 1999 |
Sign operational agreement with the Ministry of Transportation |
| Mid-November, 1999 |
First camera site installed and tested
Request Province to proclaim Bill 102 for Mid-December
Present HTA and POA regulations to Provincial Regulations and
Legislation Committee. |
| Early-December, 1999 |
End of evaluation study's "before" data collection period
Details regarding Processing Centre staffing, office space and
equipment requirements are finalized. |
| Mid-December 1999 |
Sufficient camera sites installed and tested to begin operation.
Two-year pilot project begins |
| January 2000 |
Start of evaluation study's "after" data collection period |
| February 2000 |
Last of Toronto's 40 camera sites installed |
| March/April 2000 |
First stepped-up police enforcement blitz |
| July/August 2000 |
Second stepped-up police enforcement blitz |
| October/November 2000 |
Third stepped-up police enforcement blitz |
| March/April 2001 |
Fourth stepped-up police enforcement blitz |
| July/August 2001 |
Fifth stepped-up police enforcement blitz |
| Summer 2001 |
Evaluation study's interim report |
| October/November 2001 |
Sixth stepped-up police enforcement blitz |
| December 2001 |
Pilot project ends
End of evaluation study's "after" data collection period |
| May 2002 |
Evaluation study's final report |
Conclusions:
The Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project represents an opportunity to introduce a major traffic safety initiative at no cost to taxpayers and is on schedule to begin by December 1999. A report containing a recommendation on the award of the contract for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of red light camera systems will be submitted to the Works Committee on September 8, 1999.
Contact Name:
Les Kelman, P.Eng.
Director, Transportation Systems
Tel: (416) 392-5372
Fax:(416) 397-5011
David C. Kaufman
General Manager, Transportation Services
Barry H. Gutteridge
Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services
RAN/
APPENDIX A
City of Toronto, Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project
Red Light Camera Sites *
2.2.4Use of Sub-Contractors in the Operation of Municipal Red Light Enforcement Pilot Project
"B" Approved Conventional Roadside Police Enforcement Program of the Municipal Organization
