If you live in Vaughan, chances are you’ve heard about the city’s new speed cameras — or worse, you’ve already been ticketed by one.

In just three weeks, the City of Vaughan’s automated speed enforcement (ASE) program issued over 32,000 speeding tickets. That’s right — 32,000. And that’s when things got messy.

Surprise, You Got a Ticket

What started as a safety initiative quickly turned into a nightmare for thousands of drivers. Many residents say they didn’t even know the cameras were up. One week it was business as usual, the next? Letters in the mail, fines piling up, and a wave of angry phone calls and emails to City Hall.

The backlash was swift and loud. Mayor Steven Del Duca took to social media to say, “We’ve heard your concerns loud and clear.” On June 4, the city officially paused all fines until September. Drivers will still get warning notices, but no penalties — at least for now.

A Pause to Regroup

The pause isn’t about abandoning the program — it’s about fixing how it was rolled out. The city says it’s using the time to make improvements:

• Clearer signage

• New pavement markings

• Speed cushions in certain areas

• Limits on how many tickets one driver can receive in a short period

“We’re committed to safety,” said Del Duca, “but we also want the program to be fair to everyone.”

Just How Many Tickets Are We Talking?

Here’s a breakdown of the top spots where drivers got caught:

• New Westminster Drive: 9,877 tickets

• Kipling Avenue: 6,004 tickets

• Ansley Grove Road: 5,116 tickets

• Melville Avenue: 4,772 tickets

• Peter Rupert Avenue: 2,564 tickets

• Hilda Avenue: 2,122 tickets

Some of the recorded speeds were shocking. One driver hit 97 km/h in a 40 zone, another clocked in at 145 km/h. And yes, people are getting fined — even for going just 10 km/h over, which costs about $68.25 per violation.

Not Everyone Was Surprised

Councillor Rosanna DeFrancesca wasn’t shocked. In fact, she says the system is working. “If you got tickets, you weren’t paying attention,” she said. “It’s summer. Kids are out. This is the most dangerous time for our pedestrians.” She even admitted that both she and her son got tickets. “We want people to condition themselves to pay attention.”

Still, not everyone agrees. Del Duca said he heard from seniors who stopped going to bingo after getting multiple fines — and only found out weeks later. For many, it wasn’t about the fines themselves, but the lack of communication and transparency.

Mixed Reactions from the Community

Interestingly, the complaints came with a twist: for every angry call about a fine, there was another asking for more cameras. “Why isn’t there one on my street?” has become a common question for city councillors like Marilyn Iafrate.

Even with all the noise, the impact is hard to deny. Speeds dropped by nearly 20% in areas with active cameras. So, the city knows it’s onto something — they just need to get the rollout right.

So, What Happens Now?

As of early June, more than half of the fines remain unpaid. Over 18,000 tickets are still outstanding, and the city had to bring in extra staff to handle the surge in disputes.

But for now, Vaughan is hitting the brakes — not on safety, but on the way it enforces it.

“We’re not scrapping it,” said Del Duca. “We’re pausing. Listening. Adjusting.”

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