Giant Speed Signs in Toronto School Zones

0:00It's April 24th. Welcome in. This is Canada News today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey, with the story. Toronto's getting these massive new speed signs in school zones, courtesy of Premier Duck Ford. The first ones went up Friday, near Stephen Leecock Allegiate Institute in Starborough, on Birchmout Road, towering 12 feet high with, 8 by 3 foot displays. That's way bigger than standard signs on 7 or 8 foot poles. The province shipped 80 of them to cover 20 school zones that once had permanent speed cameras. Last fall, Ford banned those cameras, calling them cash grabs even though his own research showed they cut speeding. He promised alternatives like these eye-catching signs instead. City staff had to buy 12 foot poles to hold them up, ringing up a $160,000 bill. Local reactions are mixed, with folks questioning if the sheer size will actually slow drivers down. Counselor Nick Mantis says, habitual speeders might just ignore them. Advocacy groups, like parents against speeding, call it all, show no substitute for cameras that actually work to protect kids.

1:06These signs went in where the 20 fixed cameras used to be, and there are extra warnings leading up to them about entering school zones. It's unclear yet, what the other hundreds of zones across Toronto will get for safety. Meanwhile, schools like Miss senior Percy Johnson and Jarvis Collegiate are among those now sporting the Giants aiming to grab attention where it. Counts most for student safety.