If you were caught speeding last year, the fine you paid could now be going towards making Burnaby a safer place.
Last month, the city received $2.4 million from the province in an annual instalment from the province, as part of its Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program.
Money from traffic fines in B.C. goes directly to the province before being redistributed to cities based on local policing costs.
Last year, Burnaby spent the money on staffing a mental health coordinator in the RCMP, as well as a homelessness coordinator.
The city also spent the cash on mountain bikes for a police patrol squad, a distracted driving awareness campaign, youth outreach programs and motorcycle safety skills training.
“The City of Burnaby will continue to use grant funds to strengthen policing services in the community in supporting crime reduction and improving safety,” reads a city report. “Grant funds help to reduce the impact of police costs on property taxes.”
The province is looking change the grant program but the City of Langley has already asked that it continue to give 100 per cent of traffic fine money to municipalities, including from upcoming enforcement cameras coming to high-risk intersections.
