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The city must consult with residents if it wants to make a compelling case for using photo radar on Ottawa roads, say several local Liberal MPPs, whose government could ultimately decide whether to give municipalities such a power.

As council gears up this week to debate Coun. Riley Brockington’s motion — which seeks only to have Mayor Jim Watson write Premier Kathleen Wynne to formally ask for the option of using photo radar on local streets — provincial politicians are taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach to the issue.

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“It’s important to see what the community thinks about it,” said Yasir Naqvi, minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and MPP for Ottawa Centre.

Photo radar — which takes pictures of a speeding car’s licence plate and later mails the vehicle owner a ticket — has been controversial in the past, but, Naqvi says, public opinion may have evolved since its use in Ontario was halted more than two decades ago. “I’m not suggesting we shy away from discussing it,” Naqvi said, noting the effectiveness of red-light cameras.