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Ford has been has been telegraphing his displeasure with automated speed enforcement for months, deriding it as a “cash grab” for municipalities.

However police, medical professionals and researchers say the cameras are proven, effective deterrents to fast and dangerous driving. A recent study from The Hospital for Sick Children found that speed cameras reduced speeding and aggressive driving by nearly half. The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police spoke out in favour of automated speed enforcement earlier this month.

The premier lauded Vaughan when its city council decided to remove all of the city’s speed cameras.

Ford has instead suggested speed bumps and roundabouts as an alternative to speed cameras in previous statements. 

Sources told the Star that the Ford government would be giving cities additional funds for new signage and infrastructure to discourage speeding and would likely indemnify municipalities for any contracts they have related to the cameras.

However, the province will not pay to remove the hundreds of speed cameras currently installed around Ontario.

The planned move by the premier was met with anger from º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøcity councillors on Wednesday. 

“We deserve to have protection,” Coun. Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9, Davenport) said. “Who’s got our back? Who’s got the backs of our children? It’s deplorable.”

“He’s threatening to remove one of the most effective tools we have to prevent dangerous driving,” said Coun. Shelley Carroll (Ward 17, Don Valley North).

With files from Robert Benzie