Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is looking to expedite the process of passing three key pieces of legislation, one of which involves discontinuing the province’s speed camera program. Government House Leader Steve Clark is proposing to accelerate the passage of a bill focused on reducing bureaucratic obstacles, which includes the prohibition of speed cameras, a labor bill, and an emergency management bill.
Under the proposed plan, further discussions on these bills will be halted after the second reading stage, bypassing the usual committee stage for public input and potential amendments, and limiting debate during the final, third reading stage. The red tape reduction bill, besides addressing speed cameras, aims to facilitate the movement of workers, particularly in the healthcare sector, across provinces and streamline the Clean Water Act.
Despite objections from various stakeholders, including communities, parents, police chiefs, and researchers, who argue that speed cameras save lives, Ford has been vocal in his criticism of these devices, labeling them as a mere revenue-generating tactic for municipalities. The labor bill includes mandates for automatic external defibrillators on construction sites and mechanisms for reporting fraudulent job postings on employment platforms. The emergency management bill outlines roles and responsibilities to enhance communication and coordination within the government.
House Leader Clark mentioned that the ministers involved were satisfied with the debates held during the second reading in the House and assured that the bills would still undergo some level of debate. NDP house leader John Vanthof highlighted the government’s delayed legislative resumption after the summer break, criticizing the rushed approach to passing bills.
The move to limit debate and committee time on legislative matters in the fall sitting echoes previous occurrences during the spring session, raising concerns among opposition leaders like Liberal parliamentary leader John Fraser. Fraser criticized the government for bypassing standard processes early in the fall sitting, emphasizing the importance of thorough consideration and listening to opposing views to avoid flawed legislation.
Despite appeals from over 20 mayors urging Ford to revise the speed camera program rather than scrap it entirely, Ford remains firm in his stance against speed cameras, advocating for alternative traffic calming measures. While Ford argues that speed cameras are ineffective in curbing speeding, data from various municipalities and studies from institutions like SickKids and Toronto Metropolitan University indicate a reduction in traffic speeds due to these cameras.