Photo Radar

Update: Dec. 2, 2024: Photo radar operations in Canmore have been suspended to evaluate the updated 2024 Automated Traffic Enforcement Guidelines.

Photo Radar

Photo radar is established in multiple locations throughout Canmore to both enforce the posted speed limits within town limits, as well as to raise awareness on the dangers of excess speed in residential areas. All photo radar locations are approved by the Canmore RCMP and meet guidelines set out by the Province of Alberta, and an annual report is submitted to them.

Automated traffic enforcement is one tool used in Canmore to address speeding and enhance traffic and community safety. With the updated provincial guidelines and continued focus on zones that have historically seen a large number of speeding violations, such as school and playground zones, automated traffic enforcement will continue to support the Town’s traffic safety priorities.

Encouraging safe speeds is important to creating safe streets and livable communities because slowing down gives everyone more time to react to the unexpected, avoid collisions, and lower the severity of collision-related injuries.

In 2018, an independent review was done to evaluate how photo radar was being used in Alberta.

Read the Review

The review found that:

  • Alberta saw a reduction in collisions overall, over a 10-year period - of that, photo radar was responsible for:
  • 1.4% reduction in traffic collision rates
  • 5.3% reduction in the proportion of fatal collisions

Sites are not selected randomly and include one or more of the following criteria:

  • Playground zones
  • Areas with an identifiable, documented history of speeding problems
  • Sites can also include construction zones, however, photo radar has not been used in construction zones to date.
  • As of April 1, 2022, photo radar is no longer permitted at the Bow River Bridge.

The Town of Canmore contracts its photo radar program to a contractor who employs operators that are appointed as Town of Canmore Peace Officers. These officers use the vehicle cameras to conduct photo radar enforcement in Town. 

Council continues to support the philosophy that photo radar has contributed to the safety of the community throughout the years because the data shows photo radar changes behavior and slows people down. Photo radar services will be contracted until 2025.

Click on any of the green, orange, or red highlighted zones on the map below to see the reason the zone is monitored by photo radar.

 
Benchlands Trail

 

Cougar Creek Drive

Elk Run Boulevard  

Harvie Heights Road

Moraine Road

Three Sisters Parkway

Spray Lakes Road

5 Avenue

7 Avenue

5 Street

15 Street

Net revenues are put into a reserve account which funds expenses related to policing and or traffic safety initiatives deemed appropriate by Town Council. Since 2007 $3.9 million dollars of revenues have funded the following programs and traffic safety initiatives:

  • Mobile speed display signs and audible traffic signals have been installed.
  • An additional RCMP officer for the town was added to the detachment compliment in 2008 which was funded by photo radar revenues. Since 2011, the funding for 1.5 RCMP officers has been funded through photo radar revenues, rather than through municipal taxes.
  • Pedestrian crossing lights were installed on the east side of the Bow River Bridge.
  • Pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure was improved to increase the comfort, safety, and enjoyment of alternative modes of transportation.  
  • Enhancements to the Bow Valley Trail CPR crossing. 
  • Cougar Creek parking and pathway improvements.
  • Curb ramps added to sidewalks, and multi-use pathways, parking areas.
  • Improved safety of pedestrian crossing by installing pre-cast medians to slow traffic and provide pedestrians with refuge.
  • New Driver Course Rebate Program

In 2022, photo radar revenues contributed to the following active transportation projects: 

  • Hawks Bend traffic calming with precast traffic calming islands and reduction in speed limits from 50 km/hr to 30 km/hr
  • Lions Park (15 St) traffic calmingwith precast traffic calming islands and reduction in speed limits from 50 km/hr to 30 km/hr
  • Precast medians to improve pedestrian safety and to reduce the speed of vehicles turning onto Glacier Drive at Elk Run Boulevard Click here to read the 2021 Automatic Traffic Enforcement Report

 For more information, email us at enforcement@canmore.ca 

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