Municipal Speed Cameras expand to help make slower, safer streets in Waterloo Region
You may have seen signs in your neighbourhood about Municipal Speed Cameras. Got questions? You’re in the right place!
The Region of Waterloo is investing in the Municipal Speed Camera program to improve road safety. How? By lowering vehicle speeds. We know that speed is a key factor in how badly someone is hurt in a crash. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle travelling at 50 km/hr is almost six times more likely to be killed than a pedestrian struck at 30 km/hr.
To keep traffic moving at a safe speed, these cameras are placed proactively near schools, where kids and families often walk, cycle and roll. It works! We’ve found that the number of motorists complying with the speed limit has increased by 63% when there’s a speed camera.
These cameras are nothing new. The program started back in 2021, and is now expanding and evolving in 2025.
During the pilot phase of the program, speed cameras moved around to different school zones on a rotating basis. All new speed camera installations will remain at fixed locations to ensure a consistent and effective approach to impact changes in driver behaviour.
As of February 2025, the Region has a pair of speed cameras operating in two new school zones. That will grow, with 24 locations approved for installation later this year. We will expand to all eligible school zones by the end of 2028. Remember, the goal is to help keep speeds low for everyone’s safety.
Also new in February 2025, there’s a new, user-friendly way to pay or dispute tickets issued by Municipal Speed Cameras. Learn how these tickets (now called Penalty Orders) are handled through through the Region’s Administrative Penalties Program (APP).
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New interactive map
You can find all current and coming-soon camera locations on the new interactive map of municipal speed cameras across Waterloo Region. With this new map, you can filter by:
- camera status (e.g., current, coming soon, planned)
- location (e.g. Cambridge, Kitchener, North Dumfries, etc.)
You can also zoom in to see nearby school zone boundaries, or sites like hospitals, child care centres, etc.
FAQS about Municipal Speed Camera in Waterloo Region
You can find a larger list of Frequently Asked Questions on the Region of Waterloo’s webpage for Municipal Speed Cameras. Go there for the most comprehensive, up-to-date information.
How do Municipal Speed Cameras improve safety?
- Speed cameras improve road safety by increasing the number of drivers that follow the posted speed limit at critical community hubs frequently used by children and other pedestrians.
- Global studies have demonstrated that speed cameras reduce motor vehicle crashes in the area of the camera by up to 50 per cent and reduce serious and fatal injury by up to 44 per cent.
- Locally, the number of motorists complying with the speed limit has increased by 63% in locations where speed cameras are in place.
- Creating safe and comfortable environments for walking, rolling and cycling encourages more people to take active modes of transportation, offering health, social, economic and environmental benefits for individuals and communities.
When are the cameras active?
Municipal Speed Cameras operate 24/7. The posted speed limit is the law no matter what time of day or time of year it is. Consistency in the application of the law helps to ensure consistency in driver behaviour.
What do I do if I get a ticket?
The owners of the motor vehicle are responsible for the speeding ticket. When the ticket is settled, vehicle owners will not be subject to demerit points.
Payment options will be outlined on the ticket (called a penalty order) and will include options to pay online, by phone, by mail, or in person. Learn more about your options to pay or dispute a penalty.
How will I receive this kind of speeding ticket?
If you are the owner of a motor vehicle that travels above the speed limit in a school zone where a speed camera is in use, you will receive an offence notice in the mail.
Similar to red-light camera tickets, a photograph of the vehicle that was speeding will be on the offence notice along with an enlargement of the vehicle’s license plate. The location of where and when the speeding offence occurred, as well as the speed of the vehicle and the posted speed limit will also be on the ticket.
What information is captured by the camera?
If a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit in a school zone operating with a municipal speed camera, the camera captures an image that is stored and reviewed by a provincial offences officer.
The information captured includes the posted speed limit, the speed of the vehicle, the location, the time of day, and the license plate of the vehicle.
The camera does not capture an image of the driver, only the vehicle. There is no video captured by the camera. Only still images are captured that focus on the location of the vehicle, type of vehicle and the license plate.
How will the funds raised from these tickets be used?
Municipal Speed Cameras are operated for the purpose of lowering vehicle travel speeds and, in turn, improving road user safety at critical locations around the Region. Any surplus revenue generated from municipal speed cameras (over and above all operating and capital costs) will be deposited into the Road User Safety Reserve. The reserve will be used for initiatives designed at improving safety for all road users in the Region.
For more information on local road safety initiatives, visit SafeRoadsWR.com.
