Are the fines for speeding in Metro Vancouver hefty enough?
This weekend, the VPD Traffic Section shared a post on social media about a speeding ticket issued to a Porsche driver.
The driver was found to be going nearly three times the limit, driving at 130 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, after they were caught speeding on the Georgia Viaduct on Saturday morning.
Many responded that they didn’t feel the fine was enough.
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An X post from the traffic section says the vehicle was loaded for impoundment.
“Impound and towing fees are extra.”
Yes, being loaded for impoundment. 130 kph in a 50 kph zone will earn you that even on a nice, dry, sunny day in @CityofVancouver. Impound and towing fees are extra! #DriveSafe #WeAreOutThere #SavingLives pic.twitter.com/z9fIEIWpLv
— VPD Traffic Section (@VPDTrafficUnit) April 6, 2025
The X post included a link to the violation ticket issued this past weekend that shows the ticketed amount was $483. The violation notice added that the infraction was for exceeding the speed limit by more than 60 km/h.
In response to the post, many have argued that the fines aren’t enough, particularly for someone driving a car like a Porsche.
One X user said, “A $483 fine plus impound fees is nothing when driving these kinds of cars. It’s an oil change.”
“Ridiculous it’s only $483,” said another.
They added that, in their opinion, the reason people speed in this country is a lack of repercussions.
They don’t care about a fine & spanking. Taking their car-car is needed.
Sad that punishment hasn’t ramped up to match the insanity in our new Canada. I wish for the day when existing laws & lawmakers are replaced with ones that work.
Don’t know how the good Police stomach it. 💙— Linda (@Therat4623) April 6, 2025
“They wipe their a** with that amount of money,” another user colourfully stated.
One user actually suggested increasing the speed limits.
Should speeding tickets be handled differently in Metro Vancouver?
@BurnabyRCMP/X
We spoke to someone who is an expert on all things related to traffic law, criminal lawyer Kyla Lee.
The B.C. government sets fines for tickets.
Regarding how fines are set and why they’re valued at specific amounts, Lee said, “The amount of the fine is generally supposed to capture the severity of the offence, but it doesn’t always work that way because the fines have to be set to cover a broad range of circumstances under which a person may be issued a ticket. Sometimes, the phone may not reflect the seriousness, or it may overstate the seriousness of the offence. The legislature is attempting to strike a balance when they are choosing the fines that they choose.”
Do speeding tickets work? Lee says that social sciences research concludes that a ticket is a consistent, visible enforcement that causes people to change their behaviour.
“Some studies have suggested that for a short period after being issued a ticket, a person may decrease their speeds. But the effect of that tends to wear off over time.”
Lee also says that folks who are repeat offenders when it comes to speeding are in the minority.
In 2023, B.C. and Canadian residents were polled and said they wanted speeders to be fined based on their income. We also once published an elaborative opinion piece from a North Vancouver resident who said speeding ticket fines should be based on income. Some locales in the world handle fines this way.
Lee had some thoughts on this potential reality.
“The difficulty that there would be with that is that many people who are caught driving are not residents of British Columbia or residents of Canada, and it may be difficult to ascertain what their income is in order to determine the appropriate fine,” Lee said.
In Lee’s experience, more people are deterred by penalty points “because they are afraid of losing their driver’s licences.”
She added that penalty points can also trigger an increase in insurance premiums.
“People who are professionals such as doctors, lawyers or accountants, they may keep their money in their professional corporation, and pay themselves only a very low salary for a tax advantage when they could, nevertheless, afford to pay the traffic ticket.”
Lee said it has also been suggested that the fine be tied to the type of car that person is driving, and if they were driving a more expensive car, it would attract a higher fine.
“But that fails to recognize that people may have a more expensive car but still be in dire financial circumstances, or people who are driving an expensive car may not own it. They may be driving it in the course of their employment, or it’s been loaned them by a friend or family member.”
Finally, she added that just because a person is driving a Porsche doesn’t automatically mean they can afford $483.
Do you think fines for speeding tickets should be handled differently in Metro Vancouver and the province overall?