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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1h

Oh, maybe this is Ford's plan to stop speeding in Ontario...just ask each person who speeds to promise it will 'never happen again'. That should fix it! globalnews.ca/news/1146702...

Text: Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office appears to have forgiven a staffer for repeatedly violating Ontario’s stunt driving laws, Global News has learned, after the government was told it would “never happen again.”

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2h

Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to connect with council on this important issue!

a man applauds with the #schitts creek logo behind him

ALT: a man applauds with the #schitts creek logo behind him

media.tenor.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 3h

Yes to this! This letter writer received a speeding ticket and yet, still sees the value in the speed camera program AND took the time to reach out to #WRcouncil about it. You love to see it! pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

Text: As a constituent of Ward 4, and someone who was ticketed by a speed camera, I am writing
to add my continued support for their use.
Speed cameras are not a "cash grab", they are an effective way to reduce speed, provide a
massive safety boost to pedestrians and non-car road users, and shows just how bad our
driving habits have become.
I urge you to work with your fellow councilors and Ontario mayors to push back against
Doug Ford's once-again misguided attempts to distract from his governments long list of
failures and corruption.
Thank you.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 3h

"Building market-rate housing actually protects existing renters. Because it absorbs demand from people who would otherwise be bidding up prices in older buildings.
You don’t have to like that. I don’t love it either! But it’s just… math." philwalkable.substack.com/p/why-buildi...

🏙️ Why Building Fancy Apartments Actually Helps Everyone (Yes, Even Renters)

If rich people don’t get new apartments, they’ll take yours.

philwalkable.substack.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 4h

"Our streets are deliberately and inequitably designed. In cities like Toronto, over 80% of street space is dedicated exclusively to motor vehicles. This is not a natural state; it is the result of decades of policy choices that prioritize vehicle throughput above all else." Lanrick Bennett

An Open Letter to NPR: Our Streets Are No Accident

In a world where we are constantly seeking self-improvement, National Public Radio’s Life Kit positions itself as a friendly guide…

medium.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 5h

Council: We've noticed that most drivers ignore traffic signs. Maybe bigger signs will help!

a cartoon of spongebob squarepants giving a thumbs up and the words problem solved .

ALT: a cartoon of spongebob squarepants giving a thumbs up and the words problem solved .

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Melissa Bowman

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 11h

"Are flashing lights as effective as the cameras?" asks Councillor Lily Cheng.

"We had flashing lights before we had automated speed enforcement. And through the introduction of automated speed enforcement we've seen a much more significant safety improvement," say transportation staff.

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Reposted by Melissa Bowman

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 12h

"We feel very strongly that automated enforcement is a critical piece of speed management. It's a critical piece of Vision Zero," says Transportation GM Gray. She's concerned that removing the cameras will reduce the progress the city has made reducing road injuries and deaths.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 5h

If you agree that vehicles are in fact the problem, to not mention that at all in the column, instead focusing only on the dangers of glass, seems to be a glaring omission.

Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 15h

"Studies show that if lower speed limits aren’t enforced, more drivers just ignore them. Plus, cities may need to install traffic-calming measures, including speed bumps, roundabouts and bump-outs at crosswalks, to physically force cars to slow down."

Does setting slower speed limits on residential streets make them safer?

Slower speeds reduces the number and severity of collisions so long as they’re enforced

buff.ly

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

Wait! Ford's plan to get everyone to stop speeding isn't just raising the speed limit everywhere is it? 🧐

Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

Premier Ford can't even get members of his own cabinet ministers to stop speeding - how does he think he's going to get an entire province to slow down?

Global News also revealed recently that vehicles registered to Ford cabinet ministers were caught by speed cameras more than 20 times. Over three years, those vehicles received more than $3,300 in fines for speeding and were recorded at stunt driving speeds 12 times.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

Premier Ford can't even get members of his own cabinet ministers to stop speeding - how does he think he's going to get an entire province to slow down?

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

He claims that money from the speed cameras are not going towards road safety, which is not accurate. All the while, refusing to share how his government will supposedly make all of these road improvements that will bring an end to speeding.

Another quarter is redirected to the province, including $11 million from victim surcharges, with the remaining 41 per cent going to fund the city’s Vision Zero initiatives, including: the Toronto police Road Safety Program, funding 18 uniform officers; the school crossing guard program; and the servicing of debts related to road safety infrastructure improvements.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

His supposed concerns are based on inaccurate information and false beliefs. www.thestar.com/politics/pro...

Text: Ford has criticized the devices for dinging drivers going only a couple of kilometres over the speed limit. The Star recently revealed that the standard threshold in Toronto, and most large GTA municipalities, is to start ticketing drivers at 11 kph over the limit.

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

Great, I'm all for safer infrastructure. Unfortunately, Ford refuses to speak to where the funding will come from, what the timeline will be, and he refuses to reimburse municipalities for cancelling speed camera contracts. Aside from safety concerns, his actions don't make fiscal sense either.

Text: Taking reporters’ questions at Queen’s Park on Tuesday, the premier pledged that his plan will bring the number of speeding drivers down to zero. “If we put infrastructure in, no one’s going to be speeding,” he said. “This is like a no-brainer … I guarantee you no one will be speeding.”

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

"There are just too many vehicles trying to use too little road space. The real solution involves (having) more places to live that are closer to amenities and workplaces, more and easier ways to bike or walk around the city."

Edward Keenan: I used to think of Toronto as a nice place to live, not visit. But one pervasive problem is turning that idea on its head

While the city has many problems, traffic surely ranks near the top among things that frustrate residents on a daily basis.

www.thestar.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

bsky.app/profile/joem...

Joe Martz @joemartz.bsky.social · 1d

This dude should never drive again.

Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 1d

Police in Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) say this driver hit a 17-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk, got out of the vehicle, and appeared to get upset at the teenager before driving away.

They released this video and are now trying to identify the driver.

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Reposted by Melissa Bowman

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

The frustrating thing about the premier's visceral reaction here is that he could have reacted with this much zeal anytime on the housing file, by forcing reforms on intransigent municipalities. Standardized upzoning & bans on parking minimums for all the cities are all things the province can do.

Isaac Callan @isaaccallan.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: Ontario Premier Doug Ford has responded to a letter from more than 20 Ontario mayors asking to save the province’s automated speed cameras, telling them “the answer is no.” #OnPoli
globalnews.ca/news/1146790...

‘The answer is no’: Ford rejects plea from mayors to save, alter Ontario’s speed cameras | Globalnews.ca

Replying to a letter sent last week asking for changes to how speed cameras operate instead of an all-out ban, Ford repeated his claim the program is a 'cash grab.'

globalnews.ca

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 1d

"And no—supportive housing doesn’t “bring crime” to your doorstep. Quite the opposite. When people have stable housing, they’re less likely to commit survival-based offenses like trespassing or petty theft."

Every life has value — That includes the homeless

Some Sarnians are opposing supportive housing with signs that say, “We’re already doing our part.” But how much is a human life really worth—and what does it cost to keep someone alive, housed, and…

buff.ly

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

"Cameras don’t “trap” drivers; they hold them accountable. When we undermine the very tools that keep our roads safe for children, seniors & families, we’re sending a troubling message: that convenience matters more than safety, and that it’s acceptable to break the law if you can get away with it."

A Sunday Night Note

Oct 5 2025

theetobicokevoice.substack.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

"The fastest speed the vehicles were recorded going was 30 km/h over the limit, and the lowest speed was 11 km/h over the limit. On average, the government vehicles were snapped 17 km/h above the limit, with the average cost of the tickets $144." globalnews.ca/news/1146373...

Vehicles registered to Ford cabinet ministers caught by speed cameras more than 20 times | Globalnews.ca

Documents obtained by Global News reveal that, over three years, vehicles registered to Ford’s cabinet minister received more than $3,300 in fines for speeding.

globalnews.ca

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

You may think October is #PumpkinSpice season, but in reality it's #PoliceBudget season. The arrival of this season is always noted by the proliferation of pieces like these in our local media.

4 stories 'showcasing' policing in Waterloo Region

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

"Police did not go into details about the crash but on Monday, but a boat and trailer could be seen outside of a home, surrounded by broken glass." www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/ar...

Charges laid after Kitchener hit-and-run crash

Waterloo Regional Police say a 25-year-old Mississauga man is facing charges after a hit and run collision on Fisher-Hallman Road near Greenbrook Drive in Kitchener.

www.ctvnews.ca

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

www.therecord.com/news/crime/w...

Woman charged after pedestrian sustains life-threatening injuries in Cambridge

A 24-year-old Kitchener woman charged after a pedestrian was hit in Cambridge Sept. 24, leading to life-threatening injuries.

www.therecord.com

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Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 2d

Sorry, those numbers all seem to be double digits (and some, significantly so), where are all those tickets of 'just a couple kms over the limit'? 🧐

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