‘Just Slow Down’ is the campaign from the Winnipeg Police Service aimed at reminding drivers to drive according to the speed limit and road conditions.

It’s simple, practical advice that every driver can use; a reminder to watch one’s speed.

The goal of photo enforcement is to reduce collisions and injuries by reducing red-light running and speeding. It also frees up police resources to look after other crimes and more serious traffic violations.

According to the data it does. For example, in 2019, a total of 9,520 red light offences and 28,448 speeding offences were captured at Intersection Safety Camera locations. That’s a decrease of 13.4% in violations from 2018. Fewer violations means less risk of collisions.

Historical reports 2010 through 2019 are accessible at the Winnipeg Police Service website.

After paying for the expenses of operating the Photo Enforcement program, any net surplus is incorporated into the overall budget to fund other policing activities.

There are two reasons:

The first is because you don’t KNOW there’s no one there. Road workers, hydro employees don’t have set hours. While you may feel absolutely sure there isn’t anyone there because you don’t see anyone or because it’s the evening, weekend or a holiday, the reality is, there might be.

The second reason is much more straightforward: you broke the law by not obeying the posted signs.

Kids still use playgrounds and school property to play or practice sports in the evenings, on weekends and holidays, sometimes there are extra-curricular events going on outside regular school hours as well. The school zone speed limits account for activities beyond the regular school day.

If you want to check, you can contact the Provincial Offences Court at 373 Broadway in Winnipeg (telephone: 204-945-3156 or toll-free: 1-800-282-8069) or any Regional Provincial Court Office. All Provincial Court Offices are open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays).

Under the Provincial Offences Act, Section 13 (2), a photo enforcement ticket may be served on the owner of the vehicle by sending it through regular mail to the last known address – as indicated in the records of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles – within 14 days of the alleged offence. The ticket is considered served seven days after the day it was mailed.

None. Any speed over the posted speed limit is considered speeding.

Intersection Safety Camera enforcement is lane specific. The system identifies the violating vehicle in the specific lane as it travels over electromagnetic in-ground loops in the road.

Mobile Photo Enforcement tickets are issued by a trained and qualified enforcement operator who has observed the violation and made notes.

There are instructions on the bottom left of your ticket on how to view your violation details as well as digital color photo images taken at the time. You can also contact the Provincial Offences Court at 373 Broadway in Winnipeg (telephone: 204-945-3156 or toll-free: 1-800-282-8069), or any Regional Provincial Offences Court. All Provincial Offences Courts are open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (excluding holidays).

Sorry, but no. Two photographs are taken by the Intersection Safety Camera. In mobile enforcement, only one photograph of the violation is taken. This is all explained in greater detail in the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act available to view here.

Unfortunately, no. Provincial legislation requires that the ticket be issued to the registered owner of the license plate on the vehicle, as on file with Manitoba Public Insurance, Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

Ultimately, the registered owner is responsible for responding by the date noted on the ticket. However, there is an option on the back of the ticket where the registered owner can authorize another person to respond on their behalf – but the registered owner remains responsible for the violation and the fines involved.

No, provincial legislation requires the ticket be mailed to the address of the registered owner on file with Manitoba Public Insurance, Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

All the camera systems are approved by the Government of Manitoba, Minister of Justice and are tested regularly. You can get more information on specifics from the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act.

The City of Winnipeg Public Works Department, Transportation Division is responsible for posting signage. When no speed limit sign is posted, the maximum speed limit is 50 km/h in urban areas and 90 km/h in rural areas.

You can use SpeedWatch! SpeedWatch is an initiative of Manitoba Public Insurance and its community partners (including the City of Winnipeg Traffic Assessment Branch, Manitoba Association of School Superintendents (MASS), Winnipeg Police Service, RCMP, Brandon Police Service and other participating local police agencies).

The program is intended for residential streets with light to medium traffic, where the speed limit is 50 kms per hour. Local volunteers borrow radar-operated speed reader boards that display the posted speed limit and the driver's speed. The equipment is set up in a safe location off the road where drivers can see it, during the days and times when volunteers feel speeding is the worst. Information about how fast drivers are travelling is forwarded to Manitoba Public Insurance for analysis.

To book the SpeedWatch equipment, contact:
SpeedWatch Coordinator
Road Safety Department
Manitoba Public Insurance
Telephone: 204-985-8737; toll-free 1–888–767–7640

The City of Winnipeg Public Works, Transportation Division is responsible for construction zones in Winnipeg and set limits in accordance with the provincially approved signage.

The vehicles are exempt under the City of Winnipeg By-Law 86/2016 and may enforce in a restricted area just as any conventional police vehicle. You can read the consolidated by-laws here.

All major roads into Winnipeg have posted signs to advise motorists that traffic laws are photo enforced and there are other signs throughout the city to remind motorists. There are plenty of reminders and all in accordance with provincial legislation.

Under the current provincial legislation, mobile photo enforcement vehicles can only be used to enforce speeding violations in school, playground and construction zones within the City of Winnipeg.

If one of these zones exists on your street, please call the Contact Centre at 311. You’ll need to leave your contact information so the Photo Enforcement Section can contact you. If one of these zones is not present on your street, please contact your local District Station to request conventional traffic enforcement. We’ll do what we can to help.

That person is a trained and qualified enforcement operator who sets up and tests the equipment. They also observe and make notes on each violation.

Right now, there are 10 mobile photo enforcement vehicles that operate and enforce speed violations in school, playground and construction zones throughout the City.

There are a number of technical reasons why it might have flashed, but a photo enforcement ticket is only issued after review and verification by a trained and qualified enforcement officer. If you’re confident you weren’t speeding or entered on a red light, you should be fine.

No. Red light and speeding photo enforcement tickets are only issued after review and verification by a trained and qualified enforcement operator. Just slow down and drive safe!

An Intersection Safety Camera activates only after the light has changed to a solid red and the offending vehicle hasn’t yet entered the intersection, or if the travelling vehicle is exceeding the posted speed limit. This might be why you got your ticket.

When there is a solid red light for a specific travel lane, motorists must come to a complete stop as required, prior to making any further actions that may be permissible by law. It is possible you didn’t come to a complete stop.

That’s a question for the City of Winnipeg Public Works, Traffic Signals Systems Management Division; they determine the timing of the lights.

There are currently 49 intersection safety cameras throughout Winnipeg. Up to 33 locations may be active at any one time. For more information, please view the 2019 Photo Enforcement Annual Report available here.

We always want your input! You can call the 311 Contact Centre with your suggestion and leave your contact information.

Specific rules must be followed when travelling in a funeral procession. If you receive a ticket, call the 311 Contact Centre and be prepared to leave your contact information. Have your Photo Enforcement Ticket available when you call. The photo enforcement section will then contact you soon after.