The Alberta government’s change to its stance on photo radar has Manitoba drivers calling for similar changes.
This week, Alberta’s NDP government announced municipalities will have one year to prove how photo radar has improved safety at intersections and along major roads in their communities.
If they are unable to do so then photo radar in those communities will be eliminated.
“Every jurisdiction should be proving to the people that it’s not just for the money,” said former Winnipeg police officer Len Eastoe.
Eastoe now runs a business on Broadway Avenue focused on fighting traffic tickets.
He believes photo radar, which started out as a safety tool, has strayed from safety into simply a cash cow for cities, towns and municipalities.
“If they’re enforcing these things on statutory holidays and kids aren’t even in the playground and its a statutory holiday or Christmas break, why are they doing photo enforcement?” he said.
Photo radar has been in place in Manitoba since 2003, but the contract is up for renewal in the spring of 2020.
“It is premature to comment on the renewal of a contract that is about a year away from conclusion,” said Manitoba’s Infrastructure Minister, Ron Schuler in a statement to Global News.
“We continue to evaluate road safety policies, legislation, programming and interventions to ensure their effectiveness.”
The head of Wise Up Winnipeg, Todd Dube, has been advocating for the elimination of photo radar for years. He said he believes the changes made by the Alberta government need to trigger changes from Manitoba’s government.
“These are people inadvertently and unintentionally caught in a decade-long trap, and in most cases, the same spots,” said Dube.
“The gig is up.”
WATCH: Alberta photo radar review finds it’s a cash cow