A Leaside councillor wants portable police cameras at neighbourhood intersections to catch motorists who roll through stop signs.

“If motorists think that a camera could be anywhere, it changes behaviour,” and makes motorists think twice about blowing through stop signs, rookie city councillor Jon Burnside (open Jon Burnside's policard) said Thursday.

The public works committee approved his motion to ask the Ontario government to have provincial staff work with city and police officials in a “task force” to look at “expanding automated enforcement for the purpose of reducing speed, stop sign and turn violations.”

City council will have its say on the motion next month.

Burnside, elected last October in Ward 26 Don Valley West, said his office gets more calls from parents upset at motorists rolling through stop signs than any other issue.

It’s a particularly sensitive topic in his ward, where 7-year-old Georgia Walsh died last July after being struck by a vehicle turning at stop light. “Slow down — children at play” lawn signs introduced in his ward have spread to other neighbourhoods.

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Burnside wants Toronto to follow Alberta’s lead and envisions video cameras in cars or “boxes” moved around local intersections so motorists are unaware if they are being monitored.

Toronto already has more than 70 cameras automatically catching motorists who run red lights at downtown intersections.

Mayor John Tory (open John Tory's policard) told reporters before the committee vote that such cameras would be helpful in terms of both safety and cost, since there would be no need to post officers at problem intersections.

“I think that looking at the use of these cameras, for intersection purposes, (is) just an extension of what we’re already doing and worth looking at.”

Public works members could not agree on a proposal to expand the number of residential streets with 30 km-h speed limits. Some councillors called the criteria needlessly complicated, while others said such slowdowns would not be popular in their wards.

That motion will go to city council without a recommendation.

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