City officials are weighing new approaches to traffic enforcement following provincial changes that led to the phase-out of Lloydminster’s photo radar program.
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In a message to residents on Sept. 21, Mayor Gerald Aalbers outlined the financial and operational challenges facing council as it considers replacing automated enforcement with additional staffing.
New guidelines introduced by the Alberta government restricted where photo radar could operate, ultimately rendering the local program financially unsustainable. In response, city council and administration transitioned some photo radar staff into bylaw enforcement roles.
Aalbers noted that in-person enforcement comes with a higher cost to taxpayers. Adding an extra RCMP resource costs approximately $240,000 per officer annually, while hiring a peace officer and purchasing necessary equipment costs about $156,000 per officer each year.
“These costs demonstrate the challenge of replacing the lower-cost enforcement option that photo radar once provided,” Aalbers said.
While some residents have expressed a preference for direct, in-person traffic stops over receiving automated citations in the mail, Aalbers emphasized that those operations carry a significantly higher price tag for the municipality.
Historically, Lloydminster’s photo radar program covered its own operational costs, with remaining revenue directed toward local traffic deterrence, pedestrian safety programs and crosswalk improvements.
Traffic management also remains an ongoing focus for the city. Over the past several years, Lloydminster has upgraded hardware and software across its traffic network, installing real-time sensors to help signal systems adjust dynamically to changing traffic volumes.
Aalbers said the ultimate goal remains keeping traffic moving safely and efficiently throughout the expanding city, adding that the simplest way for drivers to avoid fines is to adhere to posted speed limits.
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