'Maximum safety, not maximum fines': Ouellette promises to review photo radar

One of the mayoral candidates for the upcoming civic election is promising to review the city's photo radar program if he becomes mayor this October.

Robert Falcon-Ouellette says the city's Photo Enforcement Program is not up to national standards. "We're not using systems which actually benefit the long term safety of citizens," he said. "Sometimes the system we have is not fair."

Ouellette says if the goal of the program is to improve safety, collision numbers should be going down.

"There is photo radar at McGillivary and Kenaston, and there was 121 accidents there last year there," he said.

Ouellette said that as mayor he would work with council to conduct a full review of the city’s Photo Enforcement Program.

The review would include looking at amber light timing, signage, recommended speed limits, and traffic calming infrastructure – all measures that do not involve fines.

If elected, Ouellette says he will make two immediate changes to the system: offering warnings to motorists for first offenses, and changing construction zone speed limits to reflect when workers are actually present.

"At the end of the day, it should be not about finances, it should not be about revenue. It should be about safety," said Ouellette.