• Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Wise Up Winnipeg release new documents showing Australian government refunding tickets due to metal objects interfering in readings
• Wise Up and the CTF call for an immediate suspension of Grant and Nathaniel location until an independent review has been conducted

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and Wise Up Winnipeg released further evidence supporting the argument the readings from the controversial Grant and Nathaniel location are unreliable. The new information comes on the heels of a Crown decision to stay a formidable photo radar ticket challenge last week by Wise Up Winnipeg (WuW.)

The CTF and WuW released information that show an Australian provincial government is refunding photo radar tickets following a review that showed the presence of metal objects interfered with radar readings. An Australian provincial government audit on photo radar also notes metal objects can interfere with speed readings. Australia also uses Gatso mobile-unit radar technology – the same manufacturer of equipment used in Winnipeg.

According to the Australian Herald Sun, Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp noted:

“On this occasion, and on the four previous occasions, the mobile speed camera operator set up at a site which was close to, it appears to be a road sign, and that with the ‘Double Doppler’ effect what we’ve got is the mobile speed camera vehicle travelling past, the beam picks up the vehicle, it can then look for another metallic reflective surface and it could pick up that surface, bounce back to the vehicle in question, and then back to the camera itself. And that’s what gives us these excessive speed readings.”

“The Australian government reviewed and concluded that metal objects can interfere with speed readings,” said CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. “They’re issuing refunds because the tickets were wrong. Conversely, here in Winnipeg the government is playing games in court and ignoring the science. We need an independent investigation here too.”

“We knew the Crown was going to head for the hills once they exhausted their procedural circus tactics. We’ve seen it before – they run every time there’s a chance of creating a precedent that could cost the program millions in refunds,” said WiseUpWinipeg Co-founder Todd Dube. “Now we have even more evidence that simply cannot be ignored.”

Audit Report:

According to the Province of Victoria (AUS) audit report on photo radar:

“The operator and the mobile control room check whether the shot contains evidence of metal objects or reflections in the field of view that could affect accuracy of measurement.”

"This is precisely the issue that I testified to.  It's shocking that a city of Winnipeg program in the business of Doppler radar - would not know , or not admit to having knowledge of the issue of metallic reflection causing exaggerated speed readings,” said Ken Sontag, radar expert.

By staying the proceedings the Crown essentially admitted that there is a problem with the mobile unit radar readings at the Grant and Nathaniel location. WuW and the CTF have said from the beginning that stray objects at that location, such as signs and lamp posts, have likely distorted radar speed readings and led to the outcry from the public.

In light of the circumvention of justice on May 18^th and the recent news from Australia, WuW and the CTF are calling on the Attorney General of Manitoba to conduct an investigation into the validity of the thousands of speeding tickets issued from the Grant and Nathaniel location.

To view the Herald Sun article, click here.

To view the Australian audit report, click here.