The Durham Regional Police Service recently installed multiple new security cameras in Oshawa, Ontario, to help monitor high-traffic areas and discourage crime. These cameras were placed at key spots including the downtown core outside Harley G’s clothing and tattoo shop and at the intersection of Simcoe Street South and Bloor Street West in South Oshawa.
The new equipment was funded through a $100,000 provincial grant from the Ontario CCTV Grant Program received in April 2025 to help police detect and prevent criminal activity. This grant program covers half of the project costs and is part of the province’s Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy. Local police say the cameras are a practical tool to help them investigate crimes and keep the community safer for residents and visitors. In addition to these police-operated cameras, the Durham Regional Police Service also operates CAMSafe, a voluntary registry where residents and businesses can register their own private security cameras to assist in investigations.
This move follows several safety concerns in the core, including an incident in February 2026 where two 16-year-olds were arrested for an attempted arson at a storefront. To support the approximately 400 businesses in the area, the City of Oshawa also spends over $3 million every year on security measures like extra patrols, graffiti removal, and better street lighting.
While many people support the added security, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association has raised concerns about privacy and the lack of community consultation before installing the equipment. They suggest that the government should focus more on the root causes of violence rather than increasing surveillance on the public.
