Edmonton awaiting province's decision on photo radar for eight high-speed intersections

Edmonton is waiting for the province to decide whether to allow speed cameras at eight intersections where the city says thousands of drivers routinely exceed the limit — a decision Mayor Andrew Knack says is overdue as speed-related deaths spike.

The city applied to activate cameras between November 2024 and January 2025 at intersections including Calgary Trail and 34 Avenue, where the city clocked 8,000 drivers going at least 20 km/h over the speed limit every year. All eight intersections have dozens of collisions, thousands of speeders, or fatalities on record. Speed-related traffic deaths in Edmonton increased 73 per cent in 2025, according to the Alberta Motor Association.

Knack wanted a response within two months of submission. "We are seeing the issues today on the roads that have been identified at the intersections that have been identified. There are real safety concerns in those spaces," he told council. "We need to have that response done more quickly. It literally is impacting lives at this point."

Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen eliminated speed cameras in April 2025, calling photo radar "a cash cow." His office said a decision on Edmonton's application will come sometime this fall. Dreeshen said the province has instead introduced intersection engineering funding for physical improvements to unsafe intersections — additional left-turn lanes, better sightlines.

AMA safe communities program manager Hannah Hamilton said speed control depends on driver behaviour. "The truth is that we can't control everything else on the road. We can only control ourselves. There's plenty of things that could go wrong."