Overview of the Automated Speed Enforcement Program
In 2019, the Ontario Government enacted O. Reg 398/19, which permits municipalities to implement Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) in designated Community Safety Zones and School Zones.
ASE, commonly referred to as Photo Radar, is a system that utilizes a camera and speed measurement technology to identify and photograph vehicles exceeding the posted speed limits. The primary goal of ASE is to change driver behaviour by reducing speeding and improving community safety.
During the Council meeting on April 2, 2025, the Township of Severn approved the Administrative Penalty By-law for Contraventions Detected Using Camera Systems (By-law 2025-26).
How Automated Speed Enforcement works
When a vehicle exceeds the speed limit in an ASE zone, the system captures an image of the violation. A Provincial Offences Officer then reviews the image and issues a Penalty Order (ticket). This Penalty Order, which includes a digital copy of the image and an enlarged view of the licence plate, is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle within 30 days of the incident.
Penalty Orders are directed to the registered vehicle owner, who may not be the individual who was driving at the time. Importantly, no demerit points will be assigned, and the driving record of the registered owner will remain unaffected.
The ASE Program operates in community safety zones within the municipality where speeding has been identified as an on-going issue. These zones are identified within the Community Safety Zone By-law (By-law 2025-27).