TTC camera pilot tracks illegal streetcar passing incidents across five mixed-traffic routes

The TTC began a nine-month camera pilot Monday to track drivers and other road users who illegally pass streetcars while passengers board and exit, a violation that has injured 141 people since 2014.

Four camera-equipped streetcars are now operating across five routes: 501 Queen, 504 King, 505 Dundas, 506 Carlton, and 511 Bathurst. The cameras, installed on the side where passengers board, will record illegal passing incidents and test whether the technology is reliable enough for future automated enforcement. However, no tickets will be issued during the pilot phase.

The technology is provided by B.C.-based Gatekeeper Systems and can capture activity in the lane beside the streetcar, including potential violations and licence-plate information. The TTC plans to use findings from the pilot to develop an evidence package that could eventually support automated fines.

Before deploying cameras, TTC staff observed mixed-traffic routes and found the combined number of violations witnessed in a single day exceeded the entire 10-year count of passenger-vehicle contact claims. Between 2014 and 2024, 141 people were hit by vehicles while boarding or exiting Toronto streetcars. TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said the pilot addresses a persistent safety issue. "Every day, our customers and operators see vehicles blow past open streetcar doors, putting people at risk," Myers said.