The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) dismantled a license‑plate‑reading camera on Boulevard Henri‑Bourassa on August 12, 2026. The device, which automatically captured vehicle registration numbers, was taken down after officials deemed it highly intrusive to privacy.
The camera had been observed by members of the public earlier in the week, prompting a wave of concern over its capacity to record and store personal data without clear oversight. Residents and privacy advocates raised questions about the scope of surveillance and the potential for misuse of the information collected.
SPVM officials confirmed the removal, noting that the decision followed internal review of the technology’s impact on civil liberties. The agency described the camera as “highly intrusive” and indicated that its presence was not consistent with current privacy expectations in the city.
The incident adds to ongoing discussions in Montreal about the balance between law‑enforcement tools and individual privacy rights. While automatic license‑plate readers are used in various jurisdictions for traffic monitoring and crime prevention, the Henri‑Bourassa installation sparked particular debate because of its location and the lack of prior public notification.
No further details about the camera’s specifications, the duration of its operation, or any data it may have collected were released at the time of removal. Authorities have not indicated whether similar devices will be deployed elsewhere in the city pending a review of privacy policies.
The removal on August 12 marks the latest development in a series of community‑focused actions by the SPVM aimed at addressing public concerns about surveillance technologies. The police service emphasized its commitment to respecting privacy while maintaining public safety, and it indicated that future deployments of automated monitoring equipment will undergo stricter scrutiny.