TTC Launches Camera Pilot to Target Illegal Streetcar Passing

The TTC is launching a nine-month pilot program starting Monday, July 20, to combat motorists illegally passing open streetcar doors. According to CityNews Toronto, four streetcars will carry technology supplied by Gatekeeper Systems, a British Columbia firm, and will roll along the mixed-traffic routes 501 Queen, 506 Carlton, 504 King, 511 Bathurst, and 505 Dundas.

While the cameras will track how frequently drivers ignore stopped streetcars to determine if the system is reliable for future automated enforcement, CityNews Toronto reports that no tickets will be issued during this testing phase. Under the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario, drivers, scooter users, e-bike riders, and cyclists are required to stop for streetcars opening doors at curbside stops. Those who violate the law face three demerit points and a fine reaching as high as $183.25.

Mayor Olivia Chow stated the program is overdue, noting that passengers should not fear for their safety when boarding or exiting. TTC Chair Jamaal Myers added that the pilot is a step toward ending the risk posed by vehicles blowing past open doors. TTC CEO Mandeep Lali said the project provides necessary data for potential wider rollout and enforcement decisions.

The push for camera enforcement began with a 2017 TTC Board request for provincial legislative changes, which were granted in 2022. The TTC pointed to figures showing that, from 2014 to 2024, vehicles struck 141 people as they boarded or exited streetcars, and it flagged illegal passing as among the most dangerous behaviors on its network.