Automated Speed Enforcement
Automated speed enforcement (ASE) is a modern tool used to help enforce speed limits in school zones and community safety zones—places where kids tend to walk, run, bike and play!
Durham Region’s Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras have been deployed and are in some school zones and designated Community Safety Zones on Regional Roads.
Permanent Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras are now at the following locations:
- Bayly Street, East of Harwood Avenue near Ajax High School and St. Bernadette Catholic School - Town of Ajax
- Simcoe Street between Taunton Road and Conlin Road near Ontario Tech University and Durham College - City of Oshawa
- Central Street, West of Brock Road near Claremont Public School - City of Pickering
- Anderson Street, North of Dundas Street near Anderson Collegiate Vocational Institute - Town of Whitby
- Harmony Road North, North of Eastbourne Avenue, near Eastdale Collegiate and Vincent Massey Public School - City of Oshawa
- Altona Road, South of Fiddlers Court, near Elizabeth B. Phin Public School - City of Pickering
- Myrtle Road West, West of Ashburn Road, near Burns Presbyterian Church - Town of Whitby
Mobile Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras are now at the following locations:
- Rossland Road, West of Stevenson Road North - City of Oshawa
- Sandford Road, East of Smith Drive - Township of Uxbridge
- Taunton Road East, West of Anderson Street - Town of Whitby
- Simcoe Street North, North of Greta Street - City of Oshawa
Mobile Cameras will be rotated through community safety zone sites listed below here. As per provincial requirements, 'Automated Speed Camera Coming Soon' signs will be installed for 90 days to warn motorists of locations where the cameras will be rotated next.
Speed is a contributing factor in approximately one third of fatal collisions in Canada. Speed limits are not guidelines—they are laws. Reducing speed is the best way we can reduce the frequency and severity of collisions in our community.
In Durham Region, ASE will be implemented in some school zones and designated Community Safety Zones on Regional roads. The City of Pickering and the Town of Ajax have also introduced ASE on some of their local roads. You can find out more by visiting their websites: City of Pickering and Town of Ajax.
Durham Region is one of many municipalities across Ontario using ASE to create safer roads. Learn more about ASE in Ontario.
This initiative is in support of Durham Vision Zero, a long-term plan to ensure a safe transportation system that sees no lives lost or serious injuries on Durham’s roadways.
Driving safer communities
| How it works |
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If a vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit in an ASE-enforced area, the ASE system captures an image that is stored and reviewed by a Provincial Offences Act officer. If warranted, an offence notice (fine), with a digital copy of the image, is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle within 30 days. The offence notice is issued to the registered owner, with no demerit points issued. The best way to avoid a fine through ASE is to follow posted speed limits. Fines will only be given to vehicles travelling over the speed limit. |
| Fines |
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Fines in Community Safety Zones and Construction Zones are doubled. All areas with an ASE system will be signed with the sign shown. Motorists should always obey the posted speed limit and drive according to the road conditions, which means driving below the speed limit in bad weather, heavy traffic, poor road conditions and in Community Safety Zones and School Zones. If a vehicle is detected travelling in excess of the speed limit, the registered owner of the vehicle will receive a ticket. It does not matter who is operating the vehicle, the ticket will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle. No demerit points will be issued. The total payable fines includes a Set Fine, defined under Schedule D of the Provincial Offences Act, a victim fine surcharge and applicable court costs. For information on paying your ticket, please visit Court Services. View the ASE System Certificates of Accuracy below. |
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Please refer to the location and offence date on your Automated Speed Enforcement System Offence Notice to find the corresponding Certificate of Accuracy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
| What is Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)? |
| ASE or Automated Speed Enforcement is an automated system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to enforce speed limits and help make roads safer for all road users. |
| The cameras have been rotated to a site near me but the signs still say "Municipal Speed Camera Coming Soon", are the cameras live? |
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Once cameras are rotated, they undergo a testing period where images are taken to ensure the camera is placed in an appropriate location and properly calibrated. Once the testing period is over, the "COMING SOON" sign will be swapped with an "IN-USE" sign to indicate charges are now being issued and the cameras are live. More information is available here. |
| Why were the cameras moved/rotated from the last set of sites? |
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The Automated Speed Enforcement Program is being piloted in Durham Region in partnership with other municipalities throughout Ontario. As part of this pilot program, we have committed to using four cameras that will be rotated through the 23 school and community safety zones located on Regional Roads. Cameras will be rotated approximately every one to two months to ensure that all designated sites throughout the Region have them trialed. This rotational program will help us collect valuable data that will determine where these cameras are needed the most. Durham Region is the largest area municipality in the Greater Toronto Area. As a program, we are committed to covering the entire Region. Upon the end of the pilot period, the program will be reviewed, and some sites may receive cameras for longer periods of time. Although the cameras may be relocated, we continue to collect speed data and work with Durham Regional Police Service to recommend traditional enforcement as a means to achieve permanent speed reduction in these areas. |
| Are threshold speeds being disclosed? |
| No. As speed limits are not guidelines – they are the law - there is no need to disclose threshold speeds. Driving at, or below, the posted limit will ensure a ticket is not issued. All of our ASE locations are signed ahead of the device. |
| Are demerit points issued? |
| No, demerit points are not issued. A fine is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle, regardless of who may be driving the car. |
| Will there be warning signs posted when you enter an area with ASE? |
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Yes, there will be clear signage ahead of ASE units. The coming soon signs will be displayed at selected sites for a period of 90 days prior to an ASE unit being placed. Following that, an “IN-USE” sign will replace it to indicate that charges are now being issued. Signs in use:
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| If a vehicle in a lane beside me is speeding and I am not, will the camera know which vehicle to issue the ticket to? |
| The technology employed by the camera takes multiple readings per second and is therefore able to determine the lane that all vehicles are travelling in. If a vehicle in a lane beside you is speeding and you are not, you will not be issued a ticket. All images are reviewed by provincial offences officers before charges are issued. Part of the image review before a charge is issued is to ensure that the vehicle is identified correctly by the camera in the correct lane. |
| Why does the registered plate holder receive the ticket instead of the person who was driving when the ticket was issued? |
| Under the Highway Traffic Act, drivers can be held responsible for how their vehicles are being used. Whether being captured by a red light camera, automated speed enforcement or parking infractions, owner liability is in effect. Red Light Camera Systems and Automated Speed Enforcement Systems cannot capture images of drivers or passengers so owner liability is in effect and results in the registered plate holder receiving the ticket. |
| Can I challenge a fine if I believe I have been wrongfully charged? |
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ASE cameras are standardized and include certificates of accuracy (accessible here) which ensures that only vehicles exceeding the speed limit will be charged. All charges are reviewed by a provincial offences officer to ensure there are no mechanical faults or incorrect charges being sent. There are instructions detailed on the offence notice for options available to pay and challenge the charge. More details are available here, the three basic options are:
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| If the ticket goes to the registered plate holder, what about people who lease or rent cars? |
| Like toll charges, most rental agreements include a clause that enables rental agencies to pass any fines incurred along to the driver, sometimes with an additional administration fee. |
| Is Durham the only municipality using ASE? |
| No, Durham is one of many municipalities using or planning to use ASE technology including the City of Toronto, City of Ottawa, Region of York and Niagara Region to name a few. The City of Pickering and the Town of Ajax have also introduced ASE on some of their local roads. |
| Are charges reviewed by a provincial offences officer or automatically issued? |
| All charges are first reviewed by a Provincial Offences Act officer. If warranted, an offence notice (fine), with a copy of the image, is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle within 30 days. The offence notice is issued to the registered owner, with no demerit points issued. |
| Are ASE devices just a cash grab? |
| All ASE devices are signed ahead of the device to promote transparency. The goal of this program is to slow drivers down through our most vulnerable areas, namely school zones and community safety zones and improve safety. |
| What is a school zone and where are they located in the Region? |
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A school zone is an area of road in close proximity to a school. School zones are designated by by-law passed by municipal councils as described in the Highway Traffic Act. Typically, school zones have reduced speed limits that are put into effect, either by time of day or 24/7, within a certain distance near a school. School zones:
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| What is a community safety zone and where are they located in the Region? |
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A community safety zone is an area designated through a by-law passed by a municipal council to identify it as a road segment of higher risk or concern. Certain Highway Traffic Act fines (including speeding) are doubled in community safety zones and many community safety zones are located close to schools and school zones. Community safety zones:
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