TORONTO: A speed camera on Toronto’s Parkside Drive has been vandalized again, marking the seventh time the device has been destroyed in the last 11 months. Toronto Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
The Parkside camera was introduced in 2021 as a safety measure following a high-speed accident that resulted in the death of two people. Since its activation in 2022, the camera has issued over 66,000 tickets, collecting more than $7 million in fines. However, it has frequently been out of service due to repeated acts of vandalism.
Following the most recent attack on July 9, a police surveillance camera was installed alongside the speed camera. It was repaired and placed back in service on August 10, only to be destroyed again in this latest incident. It is not yet clear whether the police camera captured any footage of the vandalism.
According to Faraz Gholizadeh, a member of the community group Safe Parkside, the repeated damage highlights the city’s failure to ensure public safety. Residents have long voiced concerns about the lack of security for the device and have called for the city to take more action.
