St. Albert’s mayor says she’ll be looking to the RCMP for “Plan B” on photo radar.
Mayor Cathy Heron on Dec. 3 expressed her concern over the effective loss of automated traffic enforcement (ATE) here since the contractor the city uses can’t see how their business can move forward after changes announced by Devin Dreeshen, Alberta transport minister, a day earlier.
Effective April 1, 2025, photo radar will be restricted to school, playground, and construction zones, and not allowed on any numbered provincial highway. Fixed intersection cameras will be restricted to red light enforcement only, and not allowed to issue “speed on green” tickets.
“We’re going to be struggling in St. Albert … because our contractor we use to help us manage that particular offence of speeding is going to struggle to make a business case,” she said. “We might be out of all ATE sites including school and construction zones. It’s going to fall upon law enforcement (but) you’ll never be able to pick up the majority of it.”
The city collected $410,000 from automated tickets in 2023 according to a report, and the 2025 municipal budget anticipates that figure dropping to $85,000, according to Aaron Giesbrecht, manager of Policing Services at the city. But the mayor was more concerned about enforcement, particularly in school zones.
Giesbrecht said that as of Dec. 1, all photo enforcement operations are suspended in St. Albert, with the exception of red light cameras.
“What do you have right now from your complement of RCMP officers in St. Albert that actually can get out and do speed enforcement and traffic response?” Heron asked.
Staff Sgt. Dwayne Moore said the detachment has a dedicated traffic unit, but that it was one of those that has been understaffed “for a period of time.”
He said two positions that were “soft vacancies,” staffed by members who are off sick, would soon be declared “hard vacancies” that he can now move to fill.
“I’ll be working closely with (RCMP) staffing in order to fill those positions.”
He acknowledged that the provincial government provided “very short notice” of the announcement.
“We were all caught off guard when that announcement came in late Friday,” Moore said. “We are working with the city to address those concerns.”
The technology has been used in St. Albert since 2001, starting with the deployment of two mobile speed cameras and two red light cameras, according to the report.
In 2008, “speed on green” technology was turned on to allow for the capturing of speeding offences that occurred through the red-light cameras.
Those cameras, pointed at the intersection of Mark Messier Trail and Campbell Road, were among the busiest in Edmonton in 2023.
In 2011 and 2012 a mobile “CanCam” as well as an additional Red Light/Speed on Green Camera was introduced. In 2014, they added lasers.
Coun. Ken MacKay, who is council’s representative on the Policing Advisory Committee, echoed Heron’s concerns. Coun. Wes Brodhead likewise said he was less than inspired by Dreeshen’s tone at the announcement, staged at an Edmonton barbecue spot.
“This is a historic day for Alberta drivers as we turn up the heat, we fire up the grill, and say goodbye to the photo radar cash cow,” he said, wearing an apron with “Cash Cow” emblazoned upon it and crossed out.
“I felt that the announcement did not help the perception of policing and enforcing the laws of speeding in Alberta,” Mayor Heron said. “Some of the comments made by the minister were trivial and I want you to know, myself and I’m sure the rest of council would agree, (we do) respect the choices you help us make for those (enforcement) locations.
“You guys are the experts in how to enforce this and we will look to you to come up with Plan B (going forward).”
