Community Safety Zones and Construction Zones: Higher Fines in Ontario
A speeding ticket costs more in some places. In a designated community safety zone or a construction zone, Ontario's fines for many offences are increased, so it is worth knowing where the ticket was issued before deciding what to do.
- A community safety zone is a stretch of road a municipality has designated, with signs, because public safety is a special concern, for example near a school or a park.
- Fines for speeding and other offences committed in these zones are higher, generally double the usual fine, when the signs say so.
- Construction zones also have increased fines, and the signs and whether the zone is active matter.
- Demerit points do not double. The usual points for the offence still apply on conviction.
Community safety zones
A municipality can designate a section of road as a community safety zone by by-law and post signs at the start and end. Where it has done so properly, the fine for an offence committed in the zone, such as speeding, is increased. Cameras used to enforce speed in these zones issue tickets to the registered owner of the vehicle, which has different consequences (see below).
Construction zones
Roads with road work have signs about reduced speed limits and higher fines. The higher fine generally applies where the signs are posted and the zone is in operation, and the rules differ depending on whether workers are present. Look at the ticket, which should say whether the offence was recorded as being in a construction zone.
What is, and is not, increased
- The fine is increased. Court costs and the victim fine surcharge are then added.
- Demerit points are not doubled. They depend on the offence, such as how far over the limit.
- Insurers may treat a conviction in a zone seriously because of the circumstances. See the guide on how a ticket affects insurance.
- A very high speed can lead to a stunt driving charge, which is far more serious than a ticket. See the stunt driving guide.
Things worth checking before you plead guilty
- Request disclosure and read what the officer recorded about the location and the signs. See the guide on requesting disclosure.
- Was there a valid designation and were signs in place where the offence is said to have happened?
- How was speed measured and by whom? See the guide on radar and laser evidence.
- Is the ticket for the correct location, date and time, and is the zone correctly described?
- Consider an early resolution meeting, where a prosecutor may be willing to discuss a different outcome. See that guide.
Camera tickets
Automated speed cameras in some community safety zones and school zones send the ticket to the registered owner of the vehicle. These tickets generally do not carry demerit points, because the driver is not identified. They can usually still be disputed, and the deadlines on the notice matter.
Common questions
Are demerit points doubled in a community safety zone?
No. The fine is increased, not the points.
There were no workers on site. Does the higher fine still apply?
It can depend on the type of zone, the signs and the rules that apply to it. Check the ticket and ask for disclosure before assuming either way.
Who can help. Licensed paralegals can represent drivers in Ontario's Provincial Offences Court on traffic tickets, including speeding and licence offences.
This guide is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.
Not sure where you stand? A licensed paralegal can look at your documents and tell you your options.
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