Motorists can’t get tickets from Region of Waterloo speed cameras by going only slightly faster than the limit, the authority admitted, as it revealed only a fraction of those caught are fined.
The municipality told The Observer it is not possible to be ticketed for going only one km/h quicker than what’s posted on signs, after critics accused it of entrapping drivers for “cash grab” purposes.
“Speed thresholds are in place to ensure a balanced approach to enforcement that is fair and not punitive,” a spokesperson said.
However, the region refused to reveal the exact leeway that is allowed to drivers, despite many other jurisdictions around the world making that information public.
“Municipalities across Ontario, including the Region of Waterloo, do not release details on threshold speeds, as it goes against the intended goal of increasing compliance with posted speed limits,” the region’s spokesman continued.
“The posted speed limit is the law, but publicly communicating a threshold speed results in some drivers perceiving that there is a new speed limit above the posted speed limit.”