Metrolinx announced it will begin introducing body-worn cameras and in-vehicle dash cameras across the GO Transit and UP Express network this spring.

Metrolinx said in a release that the move is aimed at improving safety and accountability for both customers and staff.

The cameras will be used by customer protection officers, revenue protection officers and station safety ambassadors, the agency said.

The small devices will be worn on officers’ uniforms to record audio and video during specific interactions, while dash cameras will be installed in vehicles to capture activity in and around them.

Metrolinx said the program is designed to enhance safety and provide a clearer record of incidents.

“Research on body-worn camera programs shows that the presence of cameras can help reduce verbal and physical confrontations with staff,” the agency said.

It added that the cameras are intended to promote accountability, support fair behaviour during interactions and provide clearer evidence when incidents need to be reviewed.

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The agency said body-worn cameras will only be activated during certain situations, including safety-related incidents, and investigations or when a passenger fails to provide valid proof of payment in a fare-paid zone.

Officers are trained to notify customers when recording begins, with a flashing red light and audible beep indicating the camera is active.

Dash cameras installed in enforcement vehicles will capture the same interactions, providing what Metrolinx described as a more complete record of events.

The agency said the program includes privacy safeguards, with footage stored securely and accessible only to authorized personnel.

Metrolinx added that the policies guiding the use of cameras were developed with input from privacy experts and align with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

The rollout comes after the program was previously paused by the provincial government.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation confirmed to Global News that the government had “asked Metrolinx to pause” work on finding a company to deliver the program “to undertake additional assessments including exploring linkages with other government procurement already in place.”

Metrolinx had been planning to equip some staff with body-worn cameras as early as 2021 and began searching for a vendor in 2023, amid a wave of violence across Toronto’s transit system.

Metrolinx did not say when the cameras would be fully deployed across the network.

— with files from  Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello

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