Ottawa's red light cameras issue $14 million in fines in 9 months

Motorists received $14 million in fines for running red lights in the first nine months of 2023, as Ottawa's red light cameras caught thousands of drivers across the city.

Statistics show Ottawa's 85 red light cameras issued a total of 44,074 tickets in the January to September period. A total of 45,723 tickets were issued to drivers through the red light camera program in all of 2022.

King Edward Avenue is the hot spot for red light runners, with the three red light cameras on the north-south road issuing a total of 7,370 tickets in the January to September period.

The red light camera on King Edward Avenue southbound at St. Patrick issued the highest number of tickets of all cameras in the first nine months of the year, with 3,580 tickets issued to drivers. The camera on King Edward Avenue northbound at St. Andrew issued 2,477 tickets, while the camera on King Avenue at Besserer Street caught 1,313 drivers running red lights.

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The statistics show eight of the 85 cameras issued zero tickets in the first nine months of the year.

The fine for being caught running a red light by the red light cameras is $325, which includes a service fee and victim surcharge. The ticket for running the red light is issued to the registered owner of the vehicle.

"Anywhere we can put these, especially around schools and pedestrianized areas, I think is a good thing," said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante

"The nice thing about the cameras is they're pretty clear cut who is running a red light and who isn't. I would like to see a little bit more emphasis on the adjudication of people who want to contest that. Not everything is black and white as the cameras would like us have. But they do relieve other resources, whether it be Bylaw, whether it be OPS."

Some motorists are also supportive of the added red light cameras.

"It definitely is dangerous if somebody's running through a red light. So I think it is good in general that there is something to watch out for that," said Hibah Salaria, a motorist.

But not everyone is a fan of the new cameras, with many saying they are too expensive and don't solve the problem of speeding in the city.

"I think that traffic should be slowed. But I don't like the idea of having that much cameras all over Ottawa," said Lana Lash, a motorist.

Here is a look at the top 15 red light camera locations in the first nine months of 2023

• King Edward Avenue southbound at St. Patrick Street – 3,580 tickets
• King Edward Avenue northbound at St. Andrew Street – 2,477 tickets
• Wellington Street at Bank Street – 2,112 tickets
• Vanier Parkway southbound at Presland Road – 1,909 tickets
• Walkley Road westbound at Ryder/Don Reid Drive – 1,614 tickets
• Russell Road southbound at St. Laurent Boulevard – 1,363 tickets
• Kent Street northbound at Arlington Avenue – 1,350 tickets
• King Edward Avenue northbound at Besserer Street – 1,313 tickets
• Carling Avenue eastbound at Holly Acres – 1,183 tickets
• Elgin Street eastbound at Pretoria Bridge/Queen Elizabeth Driveway – 1,173 tickets
• Hunt Club Road at Downpatrick/McCarty – 1,003 tickets
• Carling Avenue at Iroquois – 901 tickets
• Heron Road west of Bank Street – 879 tickets
• Heron Road at Jefferson Street – 867 tickets
• Berrigan Drive at Wessex/Greenbank – 788 tickets 
• Carling Avenue at Island Park Drive – 788 tickets

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Dave Charbonneau