Whereas school bus safety requires ongoing assessment and improvement and is currently a growing issue across Ontario;
And whereas, a school bus stop arm camera program would complement traditional Police enforcement to help make the roads safer for more than 68,000 students that travel across the Region of Peel every day;
And whereas, the Region of Peel recognizes the need to work collaboratively with stakeholders to support and increase safety for children travelling to and from school;
And whereas, the Automated School Bus Camera Working Group (the Working Group), through its stakeholders (Regional Councillors, staff from Caledon, Brampton, Mississauga and the Region of Peel, Student Transportation of Peel Region, Peel Regional Police, the Ontario Provincial Police) were tasked under Resolution 2019-1134 to provide recommendations on how to best proceed with the implementation of a stop arm camera program for Peel Region;
And whereas, the Working Group supports a “Made in Peel, No Child Left Behind” program using a qualified vendor that can assist in implementing a School Bus Stop Arm Camera technology program;
And whereas, Bill 174, adopted by the Province of Ontario in December 2017 includes School Bus Camera legislation;
And whereas, as a result of adopted Bill 174, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is required to produce regulations within the Highway Traffic Act in order for municipalities to implement School Bus Stop-Arm technology;
Therefore be it resolved, that staff be directed to support the Student Transportation of Peel Region’s (STOPR) procurement process for the suite of modern school bus technologies, with the option to leverage that procurement for the acquisition of stop arm camera hardware and software for a Peel Region Stop Arm Camera program that is compatible with STOPR’s selected technology;
And further, that the recommendations contained in the Working Group’s letter dated June 2, 2020 listed as Item 12.1 on the June 11, 2020 Regional Council Agenda, be endorsed;
And further, that staff report back to Regional Council with options, scope and costs for implementing a stop arm camera program which supports STOPR's September 2020 rollout.