Someone’s done it again.
The Virgil speed camera outside Crossroads Public School was chopped down sometime Monday night — the fourth time since late May.
“We can confirm that this is a further instance of vandalism to the automatic speed enforcement camera located at Crossroads,” said Scott Fraser, associate director of transportation planning for Niagara Region, which owns and operates the device through a vendor.
The Lake Report observed the camera intact Monday evening shortly after sunset. By early Tuesday morning, it had been cut down.
Now, the region says it’s going to go ahead with installing a security camera to watch over the speed camera.
“The region plans to move forward with the use of closed-circuit television,” said Jason Misner, senior communications specialist for Niagara Region. “But a timeline for implementation has not yet been determined.”
The region had reinstalled the speed on Monday after a previous act of vandalism — only for it to be destroyed again within hours.
Installed in May, the camera was scheduled to remain until August as part of a regional initiative to reduce speeding in targeted areas and make regional roads safer.
“The (regional police service) is committed to promoting road safety and encourages both residents and visitors to follow traffic laws to help ensure a safe and enjoyable environment,” said Const. Luke Lindley with Niagara Regional Police.
The use of speed cameras has drawn criticism, with some residents calling them a cash grab.
“It’s hard to feel any sympathy for the region when it comes to this issue,” wrote Glendale resident Yousaf Shaikh in a letter from the July 3 edition of The Lake Report. “Regardless, they are a cash grab! Plain and simple.”
Since May 27, three replacement cameras at the same location have also been cut down. Police have not identified any suspects.
The region is reviewing ways to better protect the equipment.
Camera vandalism has increased across Niagara and elsewhere. In May 2024, three cameras were damaged in Smithville and Welland within days. The Globe and Mail also reported three similar incidents in the region in 2021.
In Toronto, 325 acts of vandalism have been recorded against the city’s 150 cameras, according to the Globe and Mail.
To combat the problem, municipalities are considering more security measures, including closed-circuit television.
Misner said CCTV is already used across Niagara to protect infrastructure and improve public safety.
Officials are also evaluating different camera designs. Pole-mounted devices, like the one at Crossroads, may be more susceptible to tampering.
“Niagara Region utilizes both types of automated speed enforcement cameras,” Fraser said. “Some are installed using a fixed permanent housing on a pole and some use a roadside mobile unit.”
The Niagara Stone Road location uses a fixed unit installed in 2023 during the program’s first phase. Newer sites, starting in January, began using mobile sites.
Fraser said future deployments will consider vandalism rates when selecting camera types.
Despite repeated damage, the Region says the program will continue.
“Despite these acts of vandalism, Niagara Region’s automated speed enforcement program is an important component of Niagara Region’s Vision Zero initiative,” Fraser said. “The presence of ASE cameras has, overall, shown positive results in changing driver behaviour and reducing the number of speeding vehicles across the region.”
Const. Rich Hingley of Niagara Regional Police said there are no new updates on the Crossroads incidents.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Niagara Regional Police at 905-688-4111 or Crime Stoppers Niagara at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or crimestoppersniagara.ca.
daniel@niagaranews.com
