Photo Radar Ban: Calgary Mayor Calls for Provincial Rethink

CALGARY, AB — Mayor Jeromy Farkas is pushing back against Alberta's photo radar restrictions, arguing the province's crackdown has fueled a spike in speed-related collisions and stripped Calgary of critical traffic enforcement tools.

On February 12, 2026, Farkas sent a formal letter to Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen, urging the province to reconsider the April 2025 guideline that gutted photo radar use across Calgary. The restrictions banned photo radar on numbered highways and connectors, limited cameras to school, playground, and construction zones, and killed "speed-on-green" ticketing at intersections.

The timing isn't subtle. Calgary recorded 38 traffic fatalities in 2025—the deadliest year in a decade, with 15 pedestrian deaths. Early 2026 is tracking at the same brutal pace. By mid-February, the city had already logged its seventh and eighth fatal collisions, including two more pedestrian deaths.

The Revenue Hit

The Calgary Police Service is staring down a $28 million revenue shortfall thanks to the provincial restrictions. That's money that once funded traffic safety programs, enforcement, and infrastructure improvements. The province countered with a $13 million Traffic Safety Fund spread over three years—$1 million in 2025-26, $2 million in 2026-27, and $10 million in 2027-28—for municipalities to apply for physical intersection upgrades. It's a drop in the bucket compared to what Calgary lost.

Minister Dreeshen framed the April 2025 changes as killing "the photo radar cash cow," insisting enforcement should prioritize safety over revenue. His ministry has stated the province "has no plans to expand photo radar beyond the current framework."

What Calgary's Doing Now

The Calgary Police Commission and CPS are exploring expanded use of photo radar within provincial limits, including applying for exemptions to reactivate 51 inactive Intersection Safety Devices that could enforce speed-on-green violations. The city also approved $7.5 million for traffic and pedestrian safety improvements under its Vision Zero plan, targeting a 25% reduction in major injuries and fatalities by 2028 through the Safer Mobility Plan.

But without the flexibility to deploy cameras where collisions cluster, Calgary's options are narrow. Farkas's letter argues the data is clear: fewer enforcement tools mean more dangerous driving. The province now faces a decision: stick to its revenue-focused narrative, or acknowledge that traffic safety and fiscal reality are colliding on Calgary streets.