TTC tests camera-equipped streetcars to target illegal passing

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has launched a nine-month test of cameras mounted on street cars to catch road users who illegally pass open streetcar doors.

Four street cars equipped with the technology from British Columbia-based Gatekeeper Systems rolled out on five mixed-traffic routes on July 20, TTC officials said in a press release.

The cameras will measure the frequency of illegal streetcar passing and test the technology's reliability. Tickets will not yet be issued.

"No one should have to worry about their safety when getting on or off a streetcar," said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. "This pilot is an important step toward reducing dangerous driving behaviors, protecting TTC customers and making our streets safer for all road users."

Between 2014 and 2024, 141 individuals were hit by vehicles while boarding or exiting streetcars. It is illegal for road users — including those using cars, vans, motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, e-bikes and bicycles — to pass open doors of a streetcar at a curbside stop.

Ontario's Highway Traffic Act was amended in 2022, following a 2017 request by the TTC, to allow camera enforcement.