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Jan. 14, 2004. 04:30 PM
McGuinty: Photo radar may return
Mike Harris campaigned, and won, on promise to eliminate it in 1994
KEITH LESLIE
CANADIAN PRESS
The spectre of photo radar returned to haunt Ontario motorists today as the province's cash-strapped government considered reviving the controversial measure to help shrink a $5.6-billion deficit.
Premier Dalton McGuinty said it was one of several ideas for generating revenue and cutting costs that are up for discussion during a two-day cabinet meeting that got underway today.
"I've long been a supporter of photo radar . . . (and) we're going to talk about that," McGuinty said on his way into the meeting.
"It's a revenue generator, absolutely."
Photo radar was first introduced in Ontario in 1994 under Bob Rae's NDP government, but was one of the first things to go when Mike Harris and his Conservatives were elected the following year.
It featured high-tech cameras mounted in unmarked police vans which sat parked by the sides of highways, snapping licence-plate photos of those vehicles that exceeded the speed limit.
Regardless of who was at the wheel, the car's owner would get a copy of the photo in the mail, along with a hefty fine.
# Speak Out: Photo radar
The Canadian Automobile Association said today that photo radar is nothing but a "tax grab" that does nothing to slow speeding drivers.
"This is a tax on motorists," said spokesman Mark Arsenault.
While a marked police cruiser on the side of the road does slow traffic, drivers won't be deterred by receiving a ticket in the mail weeks after speeding past an unmarked photo radar van, Arsenault said.
"The only way that this is going to save lives and improve traffic safety is if there's a deterrent involved," he said.
"Photo radar doesn't provide that."
Since they were elected in October, McGuinty's Liberals have been frantically casting about for ways to trim the provincial deficit, estimated to be more than $5.6 billion.
Consumer and Business Services Minister Jim Watson said officials in his ministry are reviewing nearly 300 fees for "everything from birth certificates to marriage licences to various business permits" in order to generate more money.
"I very much come from a user-pay philosophy," Watson said. ``I've asked my staff to determine what the real cost is (and) what we're charging."
Photo radar remains in place in other Canadian provinces, including Alberta and Manitoba. In British Columbia, Gordon Campbell's Liberals scrapped the measure in 2001.
Ontario's opposition Tories and New Democrats both seized on the issue today, accusing the Liberals of misleading voters during last fall's election campaign by failing to mention photo radar, toll roads or higher user fees.
"The premier's done a complete reversal on photo radar," said NDP house leader Peter Kormos. "He wasn't a fan of it 12 years ago. All of a sudden now McGuinty embraces photo radar."
Conservative critic Garfield Dunlop accused McGuinty of saying anything to voters in order to get elected.
"I think it's fairly clear he's misled Ontarians on a lot of different issues," Dunlop said. "Photo radar, I wouldn't be surprised if he did that as well."
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Legal Notice: Copyright Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Distribution, transmission or republication of any material from www.thestar.com is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. For information please contact us using our webmaster form. www.thestar.com online since 1996.
Jan. 14, 2004. 04:30 PM
McGuinty: Photo radar may return
Mike Harris campaigned, and won, on promise to eliminate it in 1994
KEITH LESLIE
CANADIAN PRESS
The spectre of photo radar returned to haunt Ontario motorists today as the province's cash-strapped government considered reviving the controversial measure to help shrink a $5.6-billion deficit.
Premier Dalton McGuinty said it was one of several ideas for generating revenue and cutting costs that are up for discussion during a two-day cabinet meeting that got underway today.
"I've long been a supporter of photo radar . . . (and) we're going to talk about that," McGuinty said on his way into the meeting.
"It's a revenue generator, absolutely."
Photo radar was first introduced in Ontario in 1994 under Bob Rae's NDP government, but was one of the first things to go when Mike Harris and his Conservatives were elected the following year.
It featured high-tech cameras mounted in unmarked police vans which sat parked by the sides of highways, snapping licence-plate photos of those vehicles that exceeded the speed limit.
Regardless of who was at the wheel, the car's owner would get a copy of the photo in the mail, along with a hefty fine.
# Speak Out: Photo radar
The Canadian Automobile Association said today that photo radar is nothing but a "tax grab" that does nothing to slow speeding drivers.
"This is a tax on motorists," said spokesman Mark Arsenault.
While a marked police cruiser on the side of the road does slow traffic, drivers won't be deterred by receiving a ticket in the mail weeks after speeding past an unmarked photo radar van, Arsenault said.
"The only way that this is going to save lives and improve traffic safety is if there's a deterrent involved," he said.
"Photo radar doesn't provide that."
Since they were elected in October, McGuinty's Liberals have been frantically casting about for ways to trim the provincial deficit, estimated to be more than $5.6 billion.
Consumer and Business Services Minister Jim Watson said officials in his ministry are reviewing nearly 300 fees for "everything from birth certificates to marriage licences to various business permits" in order to generate more money.
"I very much come from a user-pay philosophy," Watson said. ``I've asked my staff to determine what the real cost is (and) what we're charging."
Photo radar remains in place in other Canadian provinces, including Alberta and Manitoba. In British Columbia, Gordon Campbell's Liberals scrapped the measure in 2001.
Ontario's opposition Tories and New Democrats both seized on the issue today, accusing the Liberals of misleading voters during last fall's election campaign by failing to mention photo radar, toll roads or higher user fees.
"The premier's done a complete reversal on photo radar," said NDP house leader Peter Kormos. "He wasn't a fan of it 12 years ago. All of a sudden now McGuinty embraces photo radar."
Conservative critic Garfield Dunlop accused McGuinty of saying anything to voters in order to get elected.
"I think it's fairly clear he's misled Ontarians on a lot of different issues," Dunlop said. "Photo radar, I wouldn't be surprised if he did that as well."
› Get 50% off home delivery of the Toronto Star.
FAQs| Site Map| Privacy Policy| Webmaster| Subscribe| My Subscription
Home| GTA| Business| Waymoresports| A&E| Life
Legal Notice: Copyright Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Distribution, transmission or republication of any material from www.thestar.com is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. For information please contact us using our webmaster form. www.thestar.com online since 1996.
