Newfoundland and Labrador is taking a major step toward improving road safety with the installation of its first-ever highway speed camera system. The province has awarded a five-year contract to Jenoptik Smart Mobility Solutions to install, operate, and maintain automated speed enforcement cameras across the island.
The first speed camera is set to be installed on Veterans Memorial Highway, marking the beginning of a broader plan to address speeding on both provincial and municipal roads. A minimum of 10 cameras will be deployed initially, with the potential to expand the network as the program rolls out.
The provincial government has allocated $3.9 million to the initiative, which includes not only the physical installation of the devices but also the development of an enforcement system. Jenoptik will also be responsible for issuing tickets to vehicle owners caught speeding. Cameras will only capture the license plate of the speeding vehicle, and tickets will be mailed directly to the registered owner. Unlike traditional traffic enforcement, these infractions will not result in demerit points, as the cameras do not identify the actual driver.
The location of additional cameras will be determined through consultations with municipalities and law enforcement, relying on traffic data to pinpoint areas with high rates of speeding. Signage will be installed to notify drivers that speed cameras are in use.
This initiative follows the province’s successful 2023 pilot project in Mount Pearl and Paradise, where over 93,000 vehicles were clocked speeding by more than 11 km/h. With this data in hand, the province is optimistic that the wider rollout of speed cameras will deter dangerous driving behavior and reduce the number of speed-related collisions.
As the new enforcement system comes online, more details on camera locations and activation dates are expected. The first installation on Veterans Memorial Highway is slated to begin later this year.