Speed Limits & Enforcement

Ontario's Ministry of Transportation’s Highway Traffic Act (HTA) sets a default municipal speed limit of 50 km/h on roadways within cities, towns, villages or built-up areas. The HTA grants the City authority to set speed limits; under this legislation, set speed limits range from 40–80 km/h in 10 km/h intervals.

City policy mandates a 40 km/h speed limit in front of elementary schools and for roadways whose geometric design cannot support a 50 km/h or higher limit. On major roads where elementary schools are present, a "40 km/h when flashing" speed limit may be considered. 

Factors that Influence Speed Limits

Speed limits on major roads are influenced by many factors, including:

• Roadway design
• Roadway classification
• Vehicle operating speeds
• Adjacent development
• Collision history
• Pedestrian activity
• Driveway spacing
• Location of signalized intersections

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)

Barrie’s Automated Speed Enforcement program ended on November 14, 2025, following recently passed provincial legislation banning ASE cameras in Ontario municipalities.

Any outstanding tickets, and new tickets issued until the cameras were removed on November 14, 2025, remain valid. Refunds will not be issued. All funds generated from the ASE program are used to fund road safety and traffic calming initiatives.

Barrie City Council has directed staff to apply to the Province of Ontario for $5 million in funding to install traffic safety and calming measures in Barrie, and approved increased funding for traffic calming measures in the interim by an additional $500,000 ($50,000 per ward), using funds generated from the ASE program. 

Read the media release

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) used speed cameras to enforce speed limits. If your vehicle was captured by the camera as going over the posted speed limit:

1. The speed camera captured an image that is stored and reviewed by a provincial offences officer.
2. The Penalty Order is mailed to the registered plate holder at the address on file with the Province of Ontario.
3. Penalty Orders are mailed out within 23 days after the violation occurs.

The City of Barrie’s Automated Speed Enforcement program operated as an Administrative Penalty System as opposed to filing a charge with the Provincial Offences Court, which provides for a less complex but fair and transparent alternative to the court process. 

Please slow down and help keep our communities safe.

ASE Camera Facts

• The camera was triggered by a threshold speed; threshold speeds will not be disclosed.
• The ASE camera captured only still images of the licence plate. Video was not captured.
• The ASE camera was just as accurate at detecting speed as traditional speed measurement devices used by police.
• If a vehicle exceeded the posted speed limit in an ASE area, the camera captured an image that is stored and reviewed by a provincial offences officer. 
• The ASE cameras captured licence plates of all vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit.
• The cameras were programmable and determined what speed zone was applicable at the correct time of the day. 

ASE Penalty Orders & Fines

The ASE cameras captured licence plates of all vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit. An Administrative Penalty Order includes the image taken by the ASE camera and an enlargement of the plate portion. The Administrative Penalty Order is mailed to the registered plate holder at the address on file with the Province, and will arrive within 30 days after the violation occurs.

Administrative Penalty Orders are issued by mail/courier only; the City does not email or text Penalty Orders. 

The penalty is only a fine. Administrative Penalty Orders issued via ASE don’t result in demerit points.

Like speeding tickets issued by police officers, the fine is based on how much the driver was exceeding the speed limit. Fines are set by the Ontario Court of Justice Chief Judge and listed in Schedule D Highway Traffic Act Speeding – Community Safety Zone. Fines are doubled in community safety zones, even if the violation occurred outside school hours.

Emergency vehicles must comply with the provisions of the Highway Traffic Act regarding exceeding the speed limit. According to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, section 128 (13) speed limits do not apply “to a police department vehicle being used in the lawful performance of a police officer’s duties.” Emergency circumstances would have to be proven (ie. call log or other documentation).

There are two options—pay or appeal—for motor vehicle owners who receive an Administrative Penalty Order, as outlined on the back of the order.

How the Funds are Used

• When the program was operational, the City used the funds from the fine payments to offset the costs of the ASE program.
• The victim fine surcharge portion is submitted to the Province like any other ticket offence. The municipality retains any net fine revenue, after expenses. 
• If there is a surplus of revenue over expenses, these funds will be reinvested by the City back into other road safety and traffic calming initiatives. 

Barrie City Council has directed staff to apply to the Province of Ontario for $5 million in funding to install traffic safety and calming measures in Barrie, and approved increased funding for traffic calming measures in the interim by an additional $500,000 ($50,000 per ward), using funds generated from the ASE program. 

ASE Program Background

In 2017, Ontario authorized the use of ASE in municipalities to address ongoing issues with speeding in school zones and community safety zones. At the June 20, 2022 Council meeting, Barrie City Council approved a motion to implement an ASE Program in school zones and community safety zones. ASE cameras went live in Barrie on December 1, 2023. The City removed all ASE cameras in Barrie on November 14, 2025, following provincial legislation banning ASE cameras in Ontario municipalities.