North Perth agrees to fund half of school bus camera pilot project

North Perth council has committed to being a leader in school bus safety.

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At a recent budget meeting, North Perth council agreed to fund 50 per cent of a school bus stop-arm camera pilot project.

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This project would equip 10 buses – five from Newry Coach Lines and five from Elliot Bus – with cameras to document drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus. The 10 buses chosen for the pilot project will travel busier routes, such as Line 86 and Highway 23. The total cost for equipping the 10 buses was pegged at $33,000.

North Perth officials then plan to take the information from the pilot project to the province to potentially lobby for cameras to be placed on all school buses in Ontario.

Elma Ward Coun. Allan Rothwell originally suggested council contribute $6,600 of the project costs.

“My rationale for that would be two school bus stop-arm cameras,” he said. “I think it is important to remember that the province has not come to the table as of yet.

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“As these important pilot projects start to be rolled out across the province, frankly if this council is willing, we should show the province that this is important and we are willing to put our taxpayers’ dollars forward to ensure the safety and enforcement of rules which are provincial rules regarding the importance of the stopping for school buses.”

Wallace Ward Coun. Lee Anne Andriessen questioned who would be paying the remaining balance of the project funding. Rothwell said school bus operators are prepared to undertake the cost of the project themselves.

“They certainly appreciate whatever assistance can be given,” he said. “If council wants to add more, that is their decision. …If this council wants to undertake the full cost, I’m sure Newry Coach and Elliot will be delighted to hear that. Frankly, I would be too,” he said.

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“It is a matter that I thought a helping hand was more my intention, regarding my number.”

North Perth Mayor Todd Kasenberg suggested simply splitting the project costs.

“Let’s just say under the scenario that we are considering, the school bus companies decide they don’t want to make that investment. We are on the hook for two cameras, and that’s not much of a pilot, to be honest,” he said. “It is not going to get us very far. I would suggest as an alternative that we go 50-50 with the operators and suggest we will buy five cameras if they buy five cameras. So that we have legitimate 10 cameras lined up and 10 nozzles for this pilot. That way we are sure we get the kind of results at the scale we are looking for.”

Elma Ward Coun. Dave Johnston agreed with the mayor’s suggested approach.

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“I think that it is a fair offer for us,” he said. “It goes back to something you say a fair bit: ‘We got to put some skin in the game’ with affordable housing, with a whole bunch of things, but once again with this.

“We can keep sending out letters to every municipality but, once again, let’s put some skin in the game and get some results, and when the province sees it in any number of months, that we are getting results, then we can say we were a leader in this. Let’s get it across the province and save kids. That is really what it is about for me. I would echo the mayor. Let’s go 50-50.”

Budget committee chair and Listowel Ward Coun. Neil Anstett agreed.

“I think that this speaks volumes, not only locally but provincially as well,” he said. “Like Johnston said, let’s get some skin in the game and be a leader. That is something we really want to be known for in this field.”

A motion to add a project amount of $16,500 to the capital budget to pay for half of the pilot project was passed unanimously.

Kriss Snell, North Perth’s top bureaucrat, emphasized that school bus operators would be taking the project lead.

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