Ontario to spend $210M on non-speed camera road safety measures following ban

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is earmarking $210 million for municipalities to implement traffic-calming measures as its ban on speed cameras is set to take effect.Ford spent weeks railing against speed cameras, calling them a “cash grab” because of the revenue they generate for municipalities, then his government passed last month a ban on their use as of Friday.The premier has also said speed cameras don’t work to slow drivers down, but evidence collected by municipalities and Hospital for Sick Children researchers found they do.More than 20 mayors had urged Ford to tweak the program instead of scrapping it entirely, noting that the move means road safety measures in their communities will now be funded by all taxpayers instead of by drivers breaking the law by speeding.Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says in a statement today that a new Road Safety Initiatives Fund will provide an immediate $42 million for measures such as speed bumps, raised crosswalks, roundabouts, new signage and increased police enforcement in school and community zones that had speed cameras.He says eligible municipalities will be able to apply for the remaining $168 million.