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Photo Radar Active in Quebec |
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For the Quebec government, it is a way to curb dangerous driving in the province. For detractors, it is a cash cow being used to fill empty government coffers in a debt-ridden province. 
PHOTO: STEPHEN MCDOUGALL Photo Radar station near Thetford Mines.
Like it or hate it, photo radar will be activated next week on Quebec roads at 15 select locations, including one in the Townships.
The automated cameras that record speeding and red light runners, then send the photos and tickets to offenders in the mail, was introduced in May on a trial run basis with a three-month warning period for motorists. That warning period ends August 19 and the real tickets will then be sent out, according to transport minister Julie Boulet.
“Our main concern is reducing the number of serious accidents, especially those that cause deaths, in Quebec,” she said last February when she introduced the $6.6 million program. “There are too many drivers who are driving too fast and not respecting the limits on our roads. We hope to show them we are serious about road safety.”
In 2008, there were 557 motoring deaths in the province, a record low compared to 708 in 2006 and 2,209 in 1973. Transport department officials did not say what the exact cause was for these deaths.
Boulet said the reduced number of deaths was encouraging, but argued she wants the number lower by a further 30 percent by 2012.
But critics of photo radar such as traffic lawyer Jordan Charness believe the reason for the new program has less to do with road safety and more to do with increasing revenue from the motoring public.
“It is only going to increase revenue for the province and not really deter speeders,” he argued.
“The provincial government knows many Quebecers like to speed and this is a way to make money on this tendency.”
Charness argues the motorists will be warned of the photo radar locations by public signs and will slow down just for those locations, then resume their old driving habits.
“The fact that there are no demerit points that come with photo radar tickets, because the car is being ticketed and not the driver, also indicates the program will not be a deterrent,” he said.
“The driver will just keep on paying fines and never have his or her license suspended. That shows me the province cares more about revenue than safety.”
In 2007, Statistics Canada reported the Quebec government had the highest gross debt in Canada, owning creditors and bondholders $208 billion, or just over $27,000 for every provincial resident.
The photo radar program will be in place until late next year when the government will determine if it helps reduce accidents or not. If it does, Boulet vows to have more cameras set up in the province.
Transport officials say money from the fines during the trail period will be channelled into a special road safety fund, but would not say what will happen to future revenue if the program becomes permanent.
Charness estimates the program will generate a minimum $60,000 a month in extra ticket revenue for the province.
“If the program becomes permanent, the sky’s the limit on what the extra revenue will be.”
The majority of the cameras being set up will be located in and around the Montreal region and the South Shore where the government says most road accidents occur. The only Townships location is in Thetford Mines at the corner of Frontenac (highway 112) and Ouellet Boulevards.
Presently, photo radar is being used in two other provinces – Alberta and Manitoba. It was rejected in British Columbia in 2001 after five years of use at a cost of $100 million. It was ousted after a grass roots movement of motorists sent 25,000 petition signatures to the BC legislature, arguing the system was just an excuse to further tax residents rather than make roads safer.
In Ontario, the system was terminated in the mid 90’s by the incoming conservative government after being introduced by the outgoing NDP. The conservatives argued the program was only being used to pay off the NDP government deficits.
In the United States, 20 states use photo radar.
Drivers are being reminded that Quebec provincial law prohibits the altering of a license plate in any way that could affect the way the cameras photograph it. The plates have to be kept clean, free of transparent coverings or sprays and cannot be hidden by any car accessory such as a bike rack or trailer hitch.
Transport officials did not have an exact tally on the number of warning tickets sent out to motorists so far. They said that figure will be released on August 18.By Stephen McDougall
Sherbrooke 2009-08-17 |
Montreal Canadiens
