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City-Wide Speed Limit & Automated Speed Enforcement

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Consultation has concluded

Invitation to Participate

As part of an ongoing effort to ensure Sarnians feel safe in our community, the City is seeking public input on speed limits and automated speed enforcement. This is an invitation to participate in the City of Sarnia's investigation on reducing the base speed limit within the City and piloting automated speed enforcement at select locations. As the City conducts a technical review of available information on these topics prior to reporting back to City Council, public consultation is being held to provide a forum for all interested members of the community to have their say.

Your input on this matter is important. The comments and information received will assist staff in preparing a summary report to City Council. Public input will be received up until February 24, 2022.

UPDATE: The results of this public engagement will be presented to Sarnia City Council on April 11, 2022.

Share Your Opinion

City Staff are seeking input on:

  • Whether a city-wide or neighborhood specific speed limit reduction would be supported and to provide an opportunity for discussion on the topic in general.
  • The concept of implementing automated speed enforcement in select locations throughout the City.

Please take a moment to review the information provided and participate in our Public Consultation Process by completing the survey at the bottom of this page. You may also reach out to City staff directly to discuss this topic and share your view.


Why is a City-wide speed limit reduction being considered?

An amendment to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act allows municipalities to establish, through their By-Laws, a different prevailing speed limit for either a portion of the municipality or for all roads under its jurisdiction. The current default speed limit is 50 km/hr under the City of Sarnia's Traffic and Parking By-Law (100 of 1996).

Vehicle speed and pedestrian safety in residential neighbourhoods have been the top concerns we've heard from citizens, with many requests for lower speed limits on neighbourhood streets.

Although lowering the speed limit will not likely solve speeding issues completely, it could be one step towards safer streets and lower speeds can help prevent collisions while dramatically reducing the chance of severe injury or death for pedestrians or cyclists who are hit by vehicles. Existing studies show the risk of pedestrian death increases significantly when vehicles are traveling over 40 km/hr, and that lower speed limits lead to more walking and active transportation in neighborhoods. The City has already reduced speed limits to 40 km/hr in community safety zones throughout the City.

All local and collector streets are being considered for a blanket speed limit reduction which would extend beyond the existing community safety zones. A blanket speed limit reduction would not include arterial roads.

How am I affected?

A broad speed limit reduction, or automated speed enforcement would impact all residents of Sarnia-Lambton and all users of our roads. Speed is a factor in approximately one third of fatal collisions in Canada.

There are three main road types in the City of Sarnia:

  • Local Roads connect residential areas to residential areas, collector roads and arterial roads. Local roads make up the majority of streets in our residential neighbourhoods. They typically have lower volumes of traffic, achieve accessibility to residence and are not typically designed for through traffic.
  • Collector Roads connect residential areas and local roads to arterial roads. Collector roads typically have higher volumes of traffic and provide access to residence, schools, parks, and community centres.
  • Arterial Roads are typically high-capacity, high-volume networks for longer distance travel around the boundary of a neighbourhood. Arterial Roads often have multiple travel lanes in each direction.
  • A map of all Sarnia Streets from the City Official Plan has been included in the reference material which shows all Local, Collector and Arterial Roads.

Lower speed limits on residential streets would change travel times for drivers. A 10 km/hr reduction in speed adds roughly 18 seconds per km to your trip. For a 5km trip this would add 91 seconds or 1.5 minutes in travel time. With the exception of two arterial road corridors (Brock/Vidal Streets and Exmouth Street) traffic signals in the City are not synchronized, so a change in the speed limit would not have a correlation with signal timing to impact trip time.

Additional Considerations on Speed Limits

  • Drivers will often drive what they feel comfortable doing based on the road design regardless of the posted speed limit.
  • Community Safety Zones would still exist as they allow enforcement of higher fines in areas frequented by our most vulnerable.
  • When travelling at higher speeds, drivers travel farther before they can react.
  • It takes longer for vehicles to come to a complete stop when travelling at a higher speed.


  • The drivers field of vision is narrower at higher speeds.


  • Risk of death for pedestrians and cyclists involved in a vehicle collision rises dramatically as vehicle speeds increase.


  • For vehicle collisions, the risk of death or injury is also dramatically increased as speeds increase.

Images courtesy of City of Saskatoon, Figures derived from NACTO, City Limits: Setting Safe Speed Limits on Urban Streets, September 2020. Data from the Transportation Association of Canada, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads

Why is automated speed enforcement (ASE) being considered?

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) is being considered as an option to enhance enforcement rather than policy. ASE has been authorized within the province of Ontario in specific, designated zones and has proven effective in many municipalities throughout the province since its inception.

Additional Considerations on Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)

  • ASE is a proven and effective way to enforce our speed limits and provide safer roads for our pedestrians, motorists and cyclists
  • Traditional enforcement often does not result in sustained compliance
  • Selection criteria would be required in order to ensure that the ASE program is sustainable and has a positive financial impact - ASE would only be appropriate for select, higher volume corridors in Sarnia
  • After covering program costs, provincial guidelines dictate that revenues are to be used to support further road safety and education initiatives
  • ASE units are an important reminder to drivers to slow down in areas where children and other vulnerable road users are.
  • Drivers travelling at the posted limit are more likely able to stop in the case of a spontaneous event and a lower speed can also mean a less severe outcome
  • If you drive the speed limit, ASE will not affect you at all
  • Evidence shows that driver behavior begins to change over time with a “halo” effect created. This means that drivers may begin to adhere to the speed limit in areas even where ASE is not present, resulting in safer and more peaceful communities for everyone.

More Information

If you have any questions related to the information provided on this page, or to discuss this topic please contact Alister Brown, Manager of Development and Transportation, at (519) 332-0527, ext. 3359.

After reviewing the information provided be sure to Participate In the Survey located at the bottom of the page.


Personal Information Collection Notice - The City of Sarnia collects personal information from the public feedback made to the City of Sarnia and/or its Committees under the legal authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Public feedback to proposals is considered to be public record pursuant to the Act. Please be aware that if you are submitting correspondence to the City of Sarnia relating to a proposal, your name, contact information and communications will become part of the public record that will be available to the general public. Questions about this collection should be addressed to the City Clerk, 2nd floor, City Hall, 255 Christina Street North, Sarnia, ON N7T 7N2. Tel. 519-519-0330. Email: clerks@sarnia.ca

Invitation to Participate

As part of an ongoing effort to ensure Sarnians feel safe in our community, the City is seeking public input on speed limits and automated speed enforcement. This is an invitation to participate in the City of Sarnia's investigation on reducing the base speed limit within the City and piloting automated speed enforcement at select locations. As the City conducts a technical review of available information on these topics prior to reporting back to City Council, public consultation is being held to provide a forum for all interested members of the community to have their say.

Your input on this matter is important. The comments and information received will assist staff in preparing a summary report to City Council. Public input will be received up until February 24, 2022.

UPDATE: The results of this public engagement will be presented to Sarnia City Council on April 11, 2022.

Share Your Opinion

City Staff are seeking input on:

  • Whether a city-wide or neighborhood specific speed limit reduction would be supported and to provide an opportunity for discussion on the topic in general.
  • The concept of implementing automated speed enforcement in select locations throughout the City.

Please take a moment to review the information provided and participate in our Public Consultation Process by completing the survey at the bottom of this page. You may also reach out to City staff directly to discuss this topic and share your view.


Why is a City-wide speed limit reduction being considered?

An amendment to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act allows municipalities to establish, through their By-Laws, a different prevailing speed limit for either a portion of the municipality or for all roads under its jurisdiction. The current default speed limit is 50 km/hr under the City of Sarnia's Traffic and Parking By-Law (100 of 1996).

Vehicle speed and pedestrian safety in residential neighbourhoods have been the top concerns we've heard from citizens, with many requests for lower speed limits on neighbourhood streets.

Although lowering the speed limit will not likely solve speeding issues completely, it could be one step towards safer streets and lower speeds can help prevent collisions while dramatically reducing the chance of severe injury or death for pedestrians or cyclists who are hit by vehicles. Existing studies show the risk of pedestrian death increases significantly when vehicles are traveling over 40 km/hr, and that lower speed limits lead to more walking and active transportation in neighborhoods. The City has already reduced speed limits to 40 km/hr in community safety zones throughout the City.

All local and collector streets are being considered for a blanket speed limit reduction which would extend beyond the existing community safety zones. A blanket speed limit reduction would not include arterial roads.

How am I affected?

A broad speed limit reduction, or automated speed enforcement would impact all residents of Sarnia-Lambton and all users of our roads. Speed is a factor in approximately one third of fatal collisions in Canada.

There are three main road types in the City of Sarnia:

  • Local Roads connect residential areas to residential areas, collector roads and arterial roads. Local roads make up the majority of streets in our residential neighbourhoods. They typically have lower volumes of traffic, achieve accessibility to residence and are not typically designed for through traffic.
  • Collector Roads connect residential areas and local roads to arterial roads. Collector roads typically have higher volumes of traffic and provide access to residence, schools, parks, and community centres.
  • Arterial Roads are typically high-capacity, high-volume networks for longer distance travel around the boundary of a neighbourhood. Arterial Roads often have multiple travel lanes in each direction.
  • A map of all Sarnia Streets from the City Official Plan has been included in the reference material which shows all Local, Collector and Arterial Roads.

Lower speed limits on residential streets would change travel times for drivers. A 10 km/hr reduction in speed adds roughly 18 seconds per km to your trip. For a 5km trip this would add 91 seconds or 1.5 minutes in travel time. With the exception of two arterial road corridors (Brock/Vidal Streets and Exmouth Street) traffic signals in the City are not synchronized, so a change in the speed limit would not have a correlation with signal timing to impact trip time.

Additional Considerations on Speed Limits

  • Drivers will often drive what they feel comfortable doing based on the road design regardless of the posted speed limit.
  • Community Safety Zones would still exist as they allow enforcement of higher fines in areas frequented by our most vulnerable.
  • When travelling at higher speeds, drivers travel farther before they can react.
  • It takes longer for vehicles to come to a complete stop when travelling at a higher speed.


  • The drivers field of vision is narrower at higher speeds.


  • Risk of death for pedestrians and cyclists involved in a vehicle collision rises dramatically as vehicle speeds increase.


  • For vehicle collisions, the risk of death or injury is also dramatically increased as speeds increase.

Images courtesy of City of Saskatoon, Figures derived from NACTO, City Limits: Setting Safe Speed Limits on Urban Streets, September 2020. Data from the Transportation Association of Canada, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads

Why is automated speed enforcement (ASE) being considered?

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) is being considered as an option to enhance enforcement rather than policy. ASE has been authorized within the province of Ontario in specific, designated zones and has proven effective in many municipalities throughout the province since its inception.

Additional Considerations on Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)

  • ASE is a proven and effective way to enforce our speed limits and provide safer roads for our pedestrians, motorists and cyclists
  • Traditional enforcement often does not result in sustained compliance
  • Selection criteria would be required in order to ensure that the ASE program is sustainable and has a positive financial impact - ASE would only be appropriate for select, higher volume corridors in Sarnia
  • After covering program costs, provincial guidelines dictate that revenues are to be used to support further road safety and education initiatives
  • ASE units are an important reminder to drivers to slow down in areas where children and other vulnerable road users are.
  • Drivers travelling at the posted limit are more likely able to stop in the case of a spontaneous event and a lower speed can also mean a less severe outcome
  • If you drive the speed limit, ASE will not affect you at all
  • Evidence shows that driver behavior begins to change over time with a “halo” effect created. This means that drivers may begin to adhere to the speed limit in areas even where ASE is not present, resulting in safer and more peaceful communities for everyone.

More Information

If you have any questions related to the information provided on this page, or to discuss this topic please contact Alister Brown, Manager of Development and Transportation, at (519) 332-0527, ext. 3359.

After reviewing the information provided be sure to Participate In the Survey located at the bottom of the page.


Personal Information Collection Notice - The City of Sarnia collects personal information from the public feedback made to the City of Sarnia and/or its Committees under the legal authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Public feedback to proposals is considered to be public record pursuant to the Act. Please be aware that if you are submitting correspondence to the City of Sarnia relating to a proposal, your name, contact information and communications will become part of the public record that will be available to the general public. Questions about this collection should be addressed to the City Clerk, 2nd floor, City Hall, 255 Christina Street North, Sarnia, ON N7T 7N2. Tel. 519-519-0330. Email: clerks@sarnia.ca

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Speed Limit Reduction Survey

    Consultation has concluded
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