A majority of Toronto and GTA residents agree that more speed cameras are needed, especially in school zones, as per a new poll conducted by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews.
The provincial ban on municipal speed cameras went into effect on Nov. 14, 2025, and the poll found that nearly a year later, two-thirds of Torontonians and six in 10 GTA residents agree that there should be more photo radar cameras on the roads.
Among Torontonians, 32 per cent agreed strongly and 36 per cent agreed somewhat, while 19 per cent disagreed somewhat and 13 per cent disagreed strongly with the idea.
In the broader GTA, including Durham, York, Halton and Peel Regions, 27 per cent agreed strongly while 35 per cent agreed somewhat on the need for more speed cameras. Twenty-three per cent disagreed somewhat and 15 per cent disagreed strongly.
Across Toronto and the GTA, those aged 55 and over were most likely to agree strongly, but overall agreement did not differ much by age. However, the poll found that income levels provided some more insight.
Among those in households earning $50,000 or less, 75 per cent agree on the need for more speed cameras, while 71 per cent of those earning $50,000 to $99,999 and 60 per cent of those earning $100,000 or more agree.
The debate over speed cameras became a contentious issue in Toronto last year, with 16 of them being cut down across the city in September while Ontario Premier Doug Ford denounced them as a cash grab by the city.
Six months after the ban went into effect, the City of Toronto released data that showed speeding on the now notorious Parkside Drive went up by 200 per cent.
Pollster John Wright says the data in the poll shows that speed cameras are seen as a “deterrent by the public to have safety enforced in school zones and in other areas where there are going to be older people or others who might be vulnerable to traffic.”
“It may be that almost half the people in the city agree with the Premier that photo radar is a cash grab. But there is also seven in 10 who believe that photo radar does have an impact. It does slow vehicles down, it does increase safety. And when you look at the statistics that have been taken in terms of how much people have increased speed in those areas – they’ll point to that and say they were right and they should come back.”
No consensus on e-bikes and scooters
When it comes to throttle e-bikes and scooters, there is no consensus among Torontonians on where on the road they should go.
Respondents were questioned specifically about moped-style bikes often used for food delivery as opposed to pedal-assisted e-bikes.
Twenty-eight per cent of those surveyed said they would ban them from the city entirely, while 27 per cent said they would put them on roads with cars, keeping them out of bike lanes. Thirty-four per cent said they would allow them in bike lanes alongside bicycles.
Among those who support having e-bikes and scooters in bike lanes:
- Forty-four percent are aged 18-34, 28 per cent are aged 35-54 and 30 per cent are 55 and over
- Forty-three per cent are renters and 29 per cent are homeowners
- Forty-nine per cent are from households earning under $50,000 and 30 per cent are from those earning $100,000 or more
Wright says it is clear that the responses are coloured by how someone utilizes the road and transportation around the city.
“A lot of people want to get around on e-bikes who have lower income, oftentimes in the service industry, oftentimes are younger, and they can’t afford a car, don’t want to drive a car. There is a distinction between those who own homes, those who rent, those who are higher income, those who are lower income. And it’s clear when we’re driving on the streets, we can see that there are younger people, people with less income, people who work in different parts of the city in different trades who are using the smaller vehicles as opposed to the larger vehicles to get around,” he said.
The number of people who would ban them outright was similar across age groups, between renters and owners and between men and women.
Traffic congestion most pressing issue for Toronto and GTA residents
Overall, speed cameras and e-bikes are low on the list of pressing issues for those living in Toronto and the GTA.
Respondents were asked about the three most important issues in their municipality and among each group, 25 per cent said traffic congestion and road infrastructure were close to the top of the list. For Torontonians, it was was among the top three issues and for GTA residents it was in the top five.
Only seven per cent of Torontonians and nine per cent of GTA residents say safety issues with e-bikes and scooters are among the top three issues. A mere six percent in both jurisdictions say speed cameras are an important issue whereas bike lanes were named by five per cent of Torontonians and three per cent of GTA residents.
This survey was conducted among 510 adult residents of the City of Toronto and 825 adult residents of the GTA outside Toronto — the City of Mississauga and the regional municipalities of Durham, York, Halton and Peel — by Canada Pulse Insights between Sept. 14 and 25, 2026.
The question on electric bikes and scooters was asked of 510 Toronto residents only. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 4.3 percentage points for Toronto and +/- 3.4 for the GTA, 19 times out of 20.
A majority of Toronto and GTA residents agree that more speed cameras are needed, especially in school zones, as per a new poll conducted by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews. The provincial ban on municipal speed cameras went into effect on Nov. 14, 2025, and the poll found that nearly a year later, two-thirds of Local
A majority of Toronto and GTA residents agree that more speed cameras are needed, especially in school zones, as per a new poll conducted by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews.
The provincial ban on municipal speed cameras went into effect on Nov. 14, 2025, and the poll found that nearly a year later, two-thirds of Torontonians and six in 10 GTA residents agree that there should be more photo radar cameras on the roads.
Among Torontonians, 32 per cent agreed strongly and 36 per cent agreed somewhat, while 19 per cent disagreed somewhat and 13 per cent disagreed strongly with the idea.
In the broader GTA, including Durham, York, Halton and Peel Regions, 27 per cent agreed strongly while 35 per cent agreed somewhat on the need for more speed cameras. Twenty-three per cent disagreed somewhat and 15 per cent disagreed strongly.
Across Toronto and the GTA, those aged 55 and over were most likely to agree strongly, but overall agreement did not differ much by age. However, the poll found that income levels provided some more insight.
Among those in households earning $50,000 or less, 75 per cent agree on the need for more speed cameras, while 71 per cent of those earning $50,000 to $99,999 and 60 per cent of those earning $100,000 or more agree.
The debate over speed cameras became a contentious issue in Toronto last year, with 16 of them being cut down across the city in September while Ontario Premier Doug Ford denounced them as a cash grab by the city.
Six months after the ban went into effect, the City of Toronto released data that showed speeding on the now notorious Parkside Drive went up by 200 per cent.
Pollster John Wright says the data in the poll shows that speed cameras are seen as a “deterrent by the public to have safety enforced in school zones and in other areas where there are going to be older people or others who might be vulnerable to traffic.”
“It may be that almost half the people in the city agree with the Premier that photo radar is a cash grab. But there is also seven in 10 who believe that photo radar does have an impact. It does slow vehicles down, it does increase safety. And when you look at the statistics that have been taken in terms of how much people have increased speed in those areas – they’ll point to that and say they were right and they should come back.”
No consensus on e-bikes and scooters
When it comes to throttle e-bikes and scooters, there is no consensus among Torontonians on where on the road they should go.
Respondents were questioned specifically about moped-style bikes often used for food delivery as opposed to pedal-assisted e-bikes.
Twenty-eight per cent of those surveyed said they would ban them from the city entirely, while 27 per cent said they would put them on roads with cars, keeping them out of bike lanes. Thirty-four per cent said they would allow them in bike lanes alongside bicycles.
Among those who support having e-bikes and scooters in bike lanes:
- Forty-four percent are aged 18-34, 28 per cent are aged 35-54 and 30 per cent are 55 and over
- Forty-three per cent are renters and 29 per cent are homeowners
- Forty-nine per cent are from households earning under $50,000 and 30 per cent are from those earning $100,000 or more
Wright says it is clear that the responses are coloured by how someone utilizes the road and transportation around the city.
“A lot of people want to get around on e-bikes who have lower income, oftentimes in the service industry, oftentimes are younger, and they can’t afford a car, don’t want to drive a car. There is a distinction between those who own homes, those who rent, those who are higher income, those who are lower income. And it’s clear when we’re driving on the streets, we can see that there are younger people, people with less income, people who work in different parts of the city in different trades who are using the smaller vehicles as opposed to the larger vehicles to get around,” he said.
The number of people who would ban them outright was similar across age groups, between renters and owners and between men and women.
Traffic congestion most pressing issue for Toronto and GTA residents
Overall, speed cameras and e-bikes are low on the list of pressing issues for those living in Toronto and the GTA.
Respondents were asked about the three most important issues in their municipality and among each group, 25 per cent said traffic congestion and road infrastructure were close to the top of the list. For Torontonians, it was was among the top three issues and for GTA residents it was in the top five.
Only seven per cent of Torontonians and nine per cent of GTA residents say safety issues with e-bikes and scooters are among the top three issues. A mere six percent in both jurisdictions say speed cameras are an important issue whereas bike lanes were named by five per cent of Torontonians and three per cent of GTA residents.
This survey was conducted among 510 adult residents of the City of Toronto and 825 adult residents of the GTA outside Toronto — the City of Mississauga and the regional municipalities of Durham, York, Halton and Peel — by Canada Pulse Insights between Sept. 14 and 25, 2026.
The question on electric bikes and scooters was asked of 510 Toronto residents only. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 4.3 percentage points for Toronto and +/- 3.4 for the GTA, 19 times out of 20.
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