Making Municipalities Safer for Ontario
LAS partners with Elovate to reduce speeding in designated safety zones. This introduces a powerful tool to help keep traffic moving safely and slowly.
About LAS
LAS is the business services arm of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and is mandated to provide valuable programs and services to Ontario’s municipalities and the broader public sector. AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments.
- Location: Ontario, Canada
- Population: 16.1 million
- Highway system: 10,500 miles
- Crash & Fatality Data: 25% of fatal collisions in Canada are caused by driving too fast.
- Enforcement Program: Speed enforcement
- Cameras: Drivesafe™ camera system powered by tracking Radar
- Start Year: 2023
The Challenge
Across Canada, speeding continues to be a leading factor in serious road incidents, contributing to 25% of all fatal collisions. Municipalities face increasing pressure from residents to curb dangerous driving behaviors, especially in sensitive areas like school zones and residential neighborhoods. Traditional enforcement methods, such as police patrols, can be resource-intensive and often limited in their reach.
LAS (Local Authority Services), the business services arm of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, supports municipalities across the province with shared service solutions. They recognized the need in their member communities for a cost-effective, scalable, and impactful speed enforcement program, without requiring significant upfront investment or operational burden.
Many municipalities expressed frustration at the lack of viable options. They needed a tool that could deliver measurable safety improvements, support existing enforcement and education efforts, and operate efficiently under tight budgets. LAS sought a solution that could meet these needs while aligning with Ontario’s legal framework for road safety initiatives.
The Solution
In July 2023, LAS partnered with Elovate, a provider of automated traffic enforcement solutions. Together with the City of Barrie, the pilot-initiative laid the foundation for a turn-key Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program, based on Ontario Regulation 398/19.
Elovate’s solution offers a comprehensive set of tools municipalities need to get started quickly and operate efficiently:
- A flexible, no-upfront-cost model that minimized financial risk
- Short- and long-term contracts tailored to local needs
- Multiple camera options suitable for various road conditions and environments
- Seamless integration with municipal Administrative Penalty Systems
- End-to-end service delivery, including camera deployment, data handling, and ticket processing
What made this program stand out was its turn-key design and collaborative structure, allowing municipalities to participate under a joint processing model — streamlining operations while maintaining local oversight. The program was also built to complement existing traffic enforcement measures like police presence, traffic calming infrastructure, and public education campaigns.
The Result
The program officially launched with the installation of the first two ASE cameras in December 2023 at strategic locations in Barrie: Big Bay Point Road and Anne Street North. Within just three months, the impact was both immediate and significant:
- Over 90,000 violations were recorded, highlighting not only the scale of speeding incidents but also the broad reach of the enforcement effort.
- 9,000+ speeding tickets were issued between December 2023 and February 2024.
- Data showed an average speed reduction of 13 km/h during peak school hours, significantly lowering the risk for pedestrians and students.
VIOLATIONS
were recorded
TICKETS
were issued between 12/2023 and 02/2024
KM/H
Avg. speed reduction during peak school hours
Source: Barrie Council
Following Barrie’s lead, the Town of Innisfil launched its automated speed enforcement program in November 2024. In its first week, 85 percent of drivers in front of Nantyr Shores Secondary School were travelling at 41 km/h or less, compared to 62 km/h before. In 2025, the City of Clarence-Rockland, Town of Parry Sound, Town of New Tecumseth, and County of Renfrew contracted Elovate to roll out programs, with launches planned later in the year.
The success has since positioned the LAS ASE Service as a model for other Ontario municipalities looking to address speeding with a data-driven, cost-effective enforcement tool.
“Our municipal members have been asking for an affordable way to enforce speed that provides good value, slows down motorists and improves community safety. We are thrilled to offer a program that will meet all those needs.”
Gary McNamara — LAS Board Chair