While speaking before council, Ben Officer said when the city “quietly” renewed its contract with Global Traffic Group in July for another five years, it missed a good opportunity to review the program.
“Thanks to your quiet renewal of the contract this will be closing the barn door after the horse has bolted,” Officer said. “You should do better than this.”
He said he has “serious reservations” about a private company conducting photo enforcement for the city. Officer added he is not opposed to photo traffic enforcement; he actually wants to see the program improve.
“I just know if people would slow down, we’d be a lot better off,” he said.
Global Traffic Group was first awarded a contract from St. Albert in 2014.
St. Albert policing manager Aaron Giesbrecht said the city has had conversations over the years about doing photo enforcement in-house, including in 2014 prior to contracting with Global.
Some reasons St. Albert shied away from taking over the program included capital costs associated with added infrastructure, Giesbrecht said, and there was uncertainty over whether the province would get rid of the program entirely.
Mayor Cathy Heron said getting a full briefing on the traffic photo enforcement program was a priority for this council, and it is up to council to make any changes to the program they feel necessary.
In January, council reviewed photo enforcement revenue and decided not to make any changes at the time.
Heron added awarding contracts is not under council’s purview but is handled by administration.
The recently renewed contract with Global will last until 2024. City media relations said the Gazette would have to file a FOIP request to see that contract, as it contains third-party information.
AUMA nomination
Mayor Cathy Heron got her council’s stamp of approval to run again for an executive role at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association.
Heron has been vice-president of cities up to 500,000 people at AUMA since 2017 and was a director previously.
On Monday, council endorsed her again to be director and vice-president of cities up to 500,000.
“I am so pleased we have a mayor who is willing to take on this extra work,” said Coun. Natalie Joly. “It is a lot of extra work, so thank you.”
The AUMA board elections will take place at AUMA’s annual convention Sept. 27.
