OTTAWA -- The COVID-19 pandemic hit the brakes on photo radar in the City of Ottawa.

The automated speed enforcement program was set to launch in school zones across Ottawa in March after a 90 day period requiring the city to inform motorists that photo radar cameras would be installed.

Ottawa’s program manager for Road Safety and Traffic Investigation Krista Tanaka tells CTV News Ottawa that the cameras have been installed, but won’t be activated until students return to school following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Due to the impacts of COVID-19 and school closures, the activation of Speed Enforcement Cameras has been delayed,” said Tanaka in a statement to CTVNewsOttawa.ca

“The current plan is to activate the cameras when schools re-open.”

The City of Ottawa has purchased four cameras for the automated speed enforcement pilot project. Tanaka says two of the cameras will rotate between six school zones in Ottawa, while the other two cameras will be permanently set up in locations.

The locations for the photo radar cameras are:

  • Innes Road (Ecole secondaire catholique Beatrice-Desloges)
  • Bayshore Drive (St. Rose of Lima School)
  • Oglivie Road (Gloucester High School)
  • Smyth Road (Vincent Massey Public School, Hillcrest High School and Ecole secondaire catholique Franco-Cite)
  • Meadowlands Drive West (St. Gregory School)
  • Watters Road (St. Francis of Assisi School)
  • Longfields Drive (Ecole elementaire catholique Pierre-Elliott Trudeau, St. Mother Theresa High School and Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School)
  • Katimavik Road (Holy Trinity Catholic High School)

The Ontario Government gave municipalities the authority to install photo radar cameras in school zones late last year. One condition was that municipalities had to set up signs for 90 days alerting motorists that a camera would soon be at the location.

The City of Ottawa says motorists photographed speeding through the area are likely to get a ticket. The amount of the fine will be based on how much the driver was exceeding the posted speed limit

“And because the offence occurred in a community safety zone, the fine will be doubled,” said a statement on the city’s website.