On November 3, 2025, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service launched its Community Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Camera initiative. Cameras placed at strategic locations throughout the city are now helping enhance public safety and discourage criminal activity.
The CCTV network cameras are placed near long-term care and retirement facilities, at key intersections, and in other locations identified through an evidence-based review of calls for service. This targeted approach is designed to improve community safety, particularly for vulnerable residents.
The CCTV system will not be monitored in real time but will serve as an investigative tool. Access is strictly limited to designated personnel, ensuring officers can respond more effectively to calls for service and investigations while maintaining accountability. Signage has been installed to inform the public where cameras are in place.
In addition to crime prevention, the CCTV system will support Patrol Services, Traffic Services, and Investigation Services. This technology represents an important step toward creating a safer environment for everyone who lives in, works in, and visits Sault Ste. Marie.
FAQs
Initiative
The primary purpose of the CCTV program is to support crime prevention, criminal investigations, missing/vulnerable persons investigations, and public safety throughout the region.
When the CCTV cameras are installed and configured, SSMPS will use what is called "passive monitoring" of the cameras. This means, authorized SSMPS members will not be watching the cameras in real time; rather, the video will be captured and recorded, then used by the police to investigate crimes or missing persons incidents reported in the areas where the cameras are situated.
The CCTV network cameras are placed near long-term care and retirement facilities, at key intersections, and in other locations identified through an evidence-based review of calls for service. This targeted approach is designed to improve community safety, particularly for vulnerable residents.
CCTV cameras have been installed in the following areas:
- Albert Street East and Bruce Street
- Bay Street and Dennis Street
- Bay Street and East Street
- Bay Street and Elgin Street
- Bay Street and Russ Ramsay Way
- Canal Drive at Hub Trail
- Carmen's Way and Cathcart Street
- Great Northern Road and Lukenda Drive
- Great Northern Road and McNabb Street
- Great Northern Road and Northern Avenue East
- Great Northern Road and Second Line East
- Great Northern Road and Second Line East
- Great Northern Road and Third Line East
- Great Northern Road at Algoma Treatment & Remand Centre
- MacDonald Avenue at Chartwell Collegiate Heights Retirement Residence
- McNabb Street and Black Road
- McNabb Street and Pine Street
- McNabb Street and Willow Avenue
- Northern Avenue East at Extendicare Maple View
- North Street at Ontario Finnish Resthome
- North Street at Ontario Finnish Resthome
- Oryme Avenue at Extendicare Van Daele Manor
- Queen Street East at Windsor Place Retirement Residence
- Queen Street West and West Street
- Second Line East and Old Garden River Road
- Second Line West and Goulais Avenue
- Second Line West and Korah Road
- Third Line East at F.J. Davey Home
- Third Line East at Great Northern Nursing Centre
- Trunk Road and Black Road
- Trunk Road and South Market Street
- Trunk Road at Pathways Retirement Residence
- Van Daele Street and Wawanosh Avenue
- Wellington Street East and Bruce Street
- Wellington Street West and St. George’s Avenue West
While there may be variations to the programs, many communities in Ontario and throughout Canada have CCTV camera programs in place. Below is a list of some of the communities throughout Ontario who have successfully implemented CCTV technology for crime prevention and community safety:
- Belleville
- Cobourg
- Cornwall
- Durham Region
- Kingston
- London
- Niagara Falls
- Ottawa
- Peterborough
- Sudbury
- Toronto
- Windsor
CCTV systems can be a deterrent to crime, provide a sense of safety to the community and businesses, and can be an asset in efficiently solving crime and missing persons cases.
Before the Community CCTV initiative, the only cameras available to the police belong to citizens and businesses. While we have always relied on their cooperation, not all these investigative avenues are available in a timely manner and can cost valuable time during an investigation.
Sault Police will be tracking the number of incidents where the footage was used, the number of times the cameras were accessed, and the number of reported crimes solved using the footage. These statistics will be added to the annual report and reported to the province as part of the grant requirements.
As of November 2025, there are currently 30 CCTV cameras installed as part of this initiative.
Privacy Guidelines
While the CCTV system will not be monitored in real time, it will serve as a reactive investigative tool (e.g. if a crime has taken place in the vicinity or there is a missing person).
Video footage could be released to the public to help identify people of interest in investigations. Specially trained staff will use software to blur out parts of the video containing information that could compromise the privacy of those who are irrelevant to the investigation.
Signage will be posted in areas where CCTV cameras are installed to inform the public that they may be in an area that is being recorded by CCTV cameras.
Regulation
Yes. Sault Police has created a new CCTV procedure and has submitted a Privacy Impact Assessment.
Only authorized members of the SSMPS will have access to the video. All access to video is audited.
The data may be accessed after the reporting of any crime that may have been captured on the camera(s).
The video may be provided to other law enforcement agencies upon request for investigative purposes.
No one is permitted to alter the original data file and any access to the original file is securely logged for auditing purposes.
However, to be compliant with various pieces of privacy legislation, it is necessary to create a secondary, vetted version such as for release under a Freedom of Information request. Specially trained staff will create this vetted, secondary file ensuring only the appropriate information is released under the proper circumstances to the proper entity or person.
The original, unedited version will always be protected and available.
All data collected is subject to retention schedules set by our organization and in accordance with existing legislation surrounding Records & Information Management. Currently, retention of CCTV footage that isn’t being used as part of an investigation is 30 days.