Leadfoots beware: 35 intersections in B.C. are now equipped automatic speed ticketing cameras, 24/7.
In May 2019, the Government of British Columbia announced that it was cracking down on dangerous driving with a new automatic ticketing system in the summer. However, the system was slowly rolled out over time, with the first five activated in July 2019.
Since B.C. activated its first five automated speed enforcement cameras at the end of July 2019, the government notes that the program has issued more than 20,000 speeding tickets. According to a release, "The fastest ticketed vehicle clocked 174 km/h at a location where the posted speed limit is 80 km/h."
Now, Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has confirmed that automated speed enforcement equipment is now in place at all 35 planned Intersection Safety Camera (ISC) program sites and operating at 34 of them, on a 24/7 basis.
Prominent warning signs are in place to warn and deter speeding drivers.
With this in mind, the government is postponing activation of the new speed enforcement equipment at one location ʹIsland Highway at Aulds Road in Nanaimo ʹuntil mid-September 2020. This grace period is to allow drivers time to adjust to a recent reduction of the speed limit on the highway there, to 70 km/h from 80 km/h. This site remains activated for red-light enforcement.
ISC equipment captures images and speeds of the fastest vehicles passing through monitored intersections on red, yellow and green lights. Before mailing tickets, which carry fines but no penalty points, ISC officers review the digital images and data to confirm the applicable Motor Vehicle Act charge or charges. Notably, the registered owner of a vehicle that speeds through a red light at a speed-activated ISC intersection would face fines for both infractions.
Automatic Ticketing Locations
- Route 11 at Lonzo Road
- Boundary Road & Kingsway
- Royal Oak Avenue & Kingsway
- Deer Lake Parkway & Willingdon Avenue
- British Columbia 7A & Mariner Way
- Cooper Road & Harvey Avenue
- Banks Road & Highway 97 North
- 64 Avenue & 200 Street
- British Columbia 10 & Fraser Highway
- British Columbia 7 & 207 Street
- British Columbia 19 & Aulds Road
- Marine Drive & Capilano Road
- British Columbia 7 & Old Dewdney Trunk Road
- Shaughnessy Street & Lougheed Highway
- Cambie Road & Garden City Road
- 88 Avenue & 128 Street
- 96 Avenue & 152 Street
- King George Boulevard & 152 Street
- 152 Street & 64 Avenue
- 96 Avenue & 132 Street
- King George Boulevard & 104 Avenue
- King George Boulevard & 80 Avenue
- East 49th Avenue & Boundary Road
- Main Street & East Hastings Street
- Renfrew Street & East Hastings Street
- Grandview Highway & Rupert Street
- Granville Street & West King Edward Avenue
- Joyce Street & Kingsway
- Kingsway & Victoria Drive
- Knight Street & East 33rd Avenue
- West 57th Avenue & Oak Street
- West 70th Avenue & Oak Street
- Kerr Street & Southeast Marine Drive
- West Georgia Street & Cardero Street
- 84 Avenue & Nordel Way
There are intersection safety cameras at 140 high-crash intersections province-wide. 105 monitor red light violations, 35 monitor both red light and speed violations.
Between 2012 and 2016, ISC sites in B.C. reported an average of 10,500 vehicles a year going at least 30 kilometres per hour over the posted speed limit, as detected by red-light cameras, which also monitor vehicle speeds. Speed has been one of the top contributing factors in casualty crashes at these intersections, which have had a combined total of more than 11,500 collisions per year.
