Every time you ride the Toronto subway system, bus, or streetcar, you will be photographed by one of 12,000 cameras. No, this is not a new reality television show, it is an effort to help stop crime. Cameras will be installed on the 800 Toronto subway cars, 248 streetcars, and 1,700 buses. Transit users will be photographed every time that they travel on the TTC or enter a maintenance yard

All of the photographs will be stored for use exclusively by the police in order to assist in the solving of crimes. In addition to the photographs, the system will allow police or a TTC command centre the ability to view the inside of Toronto subway cars during an emergency situation and speak to the passengers. Buses and streetcars will only be outfitted with regular cameras.

This project, which should be fully operational by June, is estimated to cost 18 million dollars, 6 million of which will be contributed by Ottawa. By and large TTC riders have been very enthusiastic about the installation of cameras in the Toronto subway and on the buses and streetcars saying that they will feel safer while using the TTC. However there are some who are yelling about “big brother watching”. How do you feel about the cameras? Do you find it invasive or applaud it as a crime deterrent?