---
title: "Ottawa stunt driving offences up 17 per cent since speed cameras removed"
description: "Ottawa police chief Eric Stubbs told the Ottawa Police Service Board that enforcement is harder after nearly a year without roadside speed cameras, as stunt driving charges rise."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/ottawa-speed-enforcement-police-board-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-11-03T17:44:21.998Z"
---

Ottawa police chief Eric Stubbs told the Ottawa Police Service Board on Monday that traffic enforcement has been harder since roadside speed cameras were removed nearly a year ago. CBC reported that officers now need to cover more than 400 school zones and intersections to match what cameras once handled on their own.

Police board member and Ward 22 Councillor Steve Desroches ([/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/steve-desroches](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/steve-desroches)) asked Stubbs directly whether the removal of cameras made the force's need for more front-line officers worse. Stubbs agreed that it did.

## What the data shows

CBC reported that Ottawa police data, as of October 17, 2026, recorded 623 stunt driving and related offences for the year. That is a 17 per cent increase from the same period in 2025, the year before cameras were removed.

Chief Stubbs also pointed to roads getting busier as a factor. Ottawa has seen a higher than average number of fatal collisions in 2026, CBC reported. City officials have called on drivers to slow down and put down their devices.

## Why cameras were removed

Speed cameras measured how fast a vehicle was going and sent a ticket in the mail if the driver was speeding. Ontario Premier Doug Ford ordered their removal in late November 2025, calling them a cash grab. The province said it would fund other traffic-calming measures, including roundabouts, raised crosswalks and better road signage, instead.

## What officers are doing now

With cameras gone, officers must be present in person to catch speeding drivers. Chief Stubbs told the board there are more than 400 school zones and intersections across Ottawa where cameras were previously stationed. Covering all of them with patrol officers is a greater demand on staffing than the cameras required.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe ([/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/mark-sutcliffe)) and other city officials have repeated calls for drivers to slow down and put devices away. No new Council vote or formal motion on traffic enforcement was reported from the Monday board meeting.

## What residents can do

Ottawa drivers can expect police patrols in school zones and at busy intersections. Ottawa police are asking anyone who sees dangerous driving to call the non-emergency line or, in an emergency, 911. Updates on Ottawa road safety are available on the Ottawa Police Service website.

## Sitemap

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