New photo radar rules will take further chunk from city’s revenue

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on December 5, 2024.

news@medicinehatnews.com

From 2021 to 2023, Medicine Hat reported a decrease in photo radar tickets issued to motorists by 84 per cent, and that number is expected to decline even further in 2025 after the province announced it will restrict use to school, playground and construction zones.

The UCP government said Monday it was ending its “cash cow” by eliminating areas where photo radar is used to generate revenue.

Currently, there are 108 approved photo radar sites in Medicine Hat. Local police predict the city will have 68 remaining in use after April 1, 2025 when the new photo radar restrictions come into effect.

According to the 2025-26 Budget and Financial Plan presented to council Monday, between 2019 and 2024 the city’s annual fine revenue has decreased by more than $2 million.

To date this year Medicine Hat generated more than $1.03 million from fine revenue, more than $500,000 less than forecasted for the 2024 budget.

In 2023, the city collected more than $1.6 million in fine revenue. According to the report a major contributing factor toward the decrease was new provincial regulations introduced in 2022 that limited the photo radar locations and required camera vehicles to use high visibility decals to better alert drivers.

Next year the city is decreasing its estimated fine revenue budget by approximately $500,000, however that number is expected to grow following the photo radar announcement from the transportation minister.

This year Medicine Hat police have used photo radar to monitor more than 262,000 vehicles, and since the end of October have issued 6,700 speeding tickets to motorists, or about 2.6 per cent of vehicles that travel through photo radar sites.

The province estimates the new rules will eliminate 70 per cent of current sites, from approximately 2,200 to 650.

Municipalities will be able to request the province approve additional photo radar locations for high collision areas and other roads where safety measures cannot be implemented effectively.

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