One of Toronto’s most persistent enforcement challenges has taken yet another turn.
The City of Toronto and Toronto police are once again dealing with the fallout after the automated speed enforcement (ASE) camera on Parkside Drive was vandalized for the sixth time since November, despite the installation of new deterrents.
Just last week, officials added a surveillance camera in hopes of preventing further damage to the ASE unit. It didn’t work. The Parkside camera was cut down yet again, according to CityNews.
This camera, located near High Park, has become one of the most active and controversial in the city. Since its installation in 2022, it has issued over 67,000 tickets and generated an estimated $7 million in fines.
Vandalism targeting the device began last November, with two separate incidents in quick succession. In December, it was thrown into a frozen pond.
After several months of quiet, the camera was taken out again in April, then once more in May. This latest act marks the sixth time the camera has been cut down.
Parkside Drive has a posted speed limit of 40 km/h and was chosen for ASE monitoring following a fatal crash in October 2021 that claimed the lives of an elderly couple, Valdemar and Fatima Avila.
According to CBC News, the driver of the other vehicle, Artur Kotula, was found guilty in November 2024 of dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm. At the time of the crash, he was reportedly travelling at over 100 km/h in what was then a 50 km/h zone. In March, he was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.
Parkside isn’t alone, though. In late June, five ASE cameras across the city were damaged within a 24-hour period. Some were cut down entirely, others had their lenses tampered with or redirected.
City Council remains divided on how to manage the program. A motion, proposed by Councillor Anthony Perruzza, to “ensure tickets were dispensed fairly and clearly” and to implement a grace period for first-time offenders was defeated.
However, Mayor Olivia Chow successfully passed a motion calling for larger, clearer signage at camera locations. Staff have also been directed to explore the feasibility of limiting the number of tickets a driver can receive from a new camera before receiving an official infraction notice.
Toronto’s ASE program, launched in 2020, now features 150 cameras evenly distributed across all 25 wards. While the cameras are intended to improve road safety, repeated acts of vandalism suggest that they remain a flashpoint in Toronto’s ongoing debate over traffic enforcement.
This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
