September 17, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –

Modern cameras from Jenoptik Canada will replace aging equipment at high-risk intersections in Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Nanaimo, and Prince George under a $67 million program.

ICBC has started replacing all 140 intersection safety cameras across British Columbia with modern technology. The new cameras, supplied by Jenoptik Canada under a contract worth $67 million over its lifespan, will offer higher resolution and improved data capabilities compared with the existing equipment, which has reached the end of its working life. City Tow Truck, a towing and roadside assistance provider serving the Lower Mainland, has observed the safety impact of these cameras firsthand through its daily operations across Metro Vancouver.

The program records drivers who run red lights at all 140 locations, and 35 of the cameras also monitor excessive speeding. Warning signs at each intersection notify drivers the cameras are present. The program operates at high-risk intersections in several communities, including Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, and Prince George. According to the provincial government, the cameras have helped reduce collisions and improve safety at these locations. Research on red-light camera programs has shown they reduce angle collisions at signalized intersections by 20 to 25 percent, based on data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Frank, a dispatcher with City Tow Truck in Richmond, said the cameras have changed what his team sees on the road. “Our technicians respond to far fewer collision calls at intersections that have safety cameras compared with similar intersections without them,” he said. “When drivers know there is a camera at an intersection, they are less likely to run a red light or race through a yellow. That means fewer T-bone collisions, fewer cars ending up in the ditch, and fewer calls for tow trucks to clear the scene.”

The cameras are credited with changing driver behavior at monitored intersections. Reducing red-light running prevents angle collisions and also reduces the severity of crashes when they occur, since vehicles are less likely to be traveling at high speeds through intersections with cameras. The $67 million contract with Jenoptik Canada covers supply, installation, and maintenance of the new systems for up to 10 years, with the replacement happening in phases. The new systems are being installed over the coming months, with ICBC prioritizing intersections that handle the highest traffic volumes and have recorded the greatest number of red-light violations and collisions in recent years.

Niki Sharma, Attorney General and minister responsible for ICBC, said the camera upgrades are part of the government’s commitment to road safety. “Intersections are where drivers, cyclists and pedestrians all share the road, and where some of the most serious crashes in B.C. occur,” Sharma said in the September 10 announcement. “Upgrading these cameras with modern technology will help ensure a proven road safety program continues to reduce dangerous driving and prevent crashes for years to come.”

The program supports the BC Road Safety Strategy’s goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries on B.C. roads. The new cameras are expected to be fully operational over the coming months. City Tow Truck provides towing and roadside assistance throughout the Greater Vancouver area, including Richmond, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, and Delta. Drivers can find more information about intersection safety cameras and review the BC Road Safety Strategy on the provincial government’s website. The intersection safety camera program has been operating in British Columbia since 1999 and has recorded millions of violations over that period, with each camera location carefully selected based on collision history and traffic volume data.

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For more information about City Tow Truck, contact the company here:

City Tow Truck
Contact Details:
(604) 265-5888
richmond@citytowtruck.com
12100 Riverside Way Suite 119 Richmond, BC V6W 1K5

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