Council to vote on photo radar
Saskatoon city councillors will likely vote Monday on whether or not to bring photo radar cameras to the city, despite concerns by the mayor that such a vote would violate provincial laws, the chair of the city’s transportation committee said.
“I still think it’s appropriate that city council have an opinion,” Coun. Charlie Clark said.
Earlier this month, the transportation committee passed a recommendation that councillors should have a say on whether the city participates in a provincial two-year photo radar pilot project. The mayor said a vote could violate the provincial Police Act, which forbids governments from getting involved in police operations, and asked the city solicitor to prepare a report on what role if any council is allowed to play in the decision.
The one-and-a-half-page report, released late Wednesday, does not specifically say whether a vote on participation in the photo radar pilot project would be legal or not. It says city council can set speed limits, but cannot tell police what laws to enforce and that the city administration can choose not to assist the police force if it chooses to use photo radar.
City administrators have recommended that council consider the report at its Monday meeting and approve the city’s involvement in the pilot project.
Police Chief Clive Weighill, who has been a strong supporter of the photo radar project, has said he would like council to debate the city’s involvement if it chooses. Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), which is funding the pilot project, has said it will not operate cameras in Saskatoon if the city does not want them.
“The most important thing is that both SGI and the police have said: ‘In regard to this specific contract and this specific pilot project, we would like to know what city council’s opinion is,’” Clark said. “It’s appropriate and reasonable that city council do make this decision.”
Clark, who said he’s been persuaded that photo radar “is actually an intervention that can help to make our roads safer,” said that because the photo radar pilot project has generated so much public discussion, council has a responsibility to “take ownership” of the decision.
“That way if there are issues then we can at least say we’ve had a proper debate about it and a discussion and we’ve either said that we support it or don’t,” Clark said.
Atchison could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
SGI announced the provincewide photo radar pilot project in June as part of efforts to reduce speeding in high-risk areas. The first camera was installed in Moose Jaw at the intersection of Highway 1 and Ninth Avenue earlier this month.
If the project is approved in Saskatoon, one camera — which could be installed as early as this month — will rotate between five locations along Circle Drive. A second will eventually rotate between five school zones.
Debate about the project heated up this month when councillors — who previously thought they had no say in the city’s involvement in the initiative — learned SGI would exclude them from the project if they asked.
Councillors Pat Lorje and Troy Davies have both spoken against having cameras in Saskatoon — with Davies going as far as likening SGI to “Big Brother” for wanting to operate the cameras — but most councillors have been more open to participation in the project or have asked for more information before committing to a decision.