Dozens of photo radars around Calgary and Edmonton will be shut down next week because they are “too” expensive in the eyes of the government.
Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen confirmed to local media on Thursday that he would take down 22 photo radars installed on the highway that bypasses Edmonton, while eight will suffer the same fate on the highway around Calgary, two expressways where speed limits are high is set at 100 km/h.
“This is an exciting new policy from our government. In fact, we will work to end all ice fishing sites,” the minister said, referencing the photo radar “cash cows that affect so many Albertans.”
Mr. Dreeshen gave the example of a photo radar at the corner of Ray Gibbon Street and Anthony Henday Street. Year after year, the radar enables around 6,000 fines to be issued, generating around $800,000 for the government.
“That’s eleven times more than average [des photos radar] in Edmonton. […] “These websites are used to generate revenue and not to improve road safety,” condemned the minister quoted by Global News.
Alberta governments are not interested in photo radars. In 2019, the New Democratic Party, then in power, froze any new installations of radars by cities in the province while it dealt with the issue. Then, in 2022, the United Conservative Party extended that freeze and also banned all photo radars on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less.
In addition, the installation of photo radars in schools or construction sites is only permitted during school hours or while workers are present at construction sites.
Photo radars netted Alberta $171 million in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, 60% of which was transferred to municipalities.