Source: Global News — Calgary police cracking down on excessive speeding, Stoney Trail a problem area
What happened
Calgary police issued more than 40 court summonses in a single three-hour operation on April 18, 2026, targeting Stoney Trail and Bow Trail S.W. The fastest drivers were recorded at 179 km/h, 166 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, and 137 km/h in an 80 km/h construction zone. One driver left with roughly $1,200 in tickets.
Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward told reporters officers are routinely seeing speeds of 175 to 180 km/h on Stoney Trail's 100 km/h stretches. The blitz is part of a wider push: Calgary issued roughly 10,000 speeding tickets in the first 10 weeks of 2026, following the city's record 38 traffic fatalities in 2025.
Why a court summons is different from a regular ticket
In Alberta, driving more than 50 km/h over the posted limit isn't something you can just pay at the counter. It triggers a mandatory court appearance, where the fine is set by a Justice of the Peace and can climb well above the $744 minimum. The court also has the discretion to impose a licence suspension on top of the fine and demerits.
That matters because the consequences stack:
- Higher fines — set by the court, not the ticket book.
- Demerits — excessive speeding draws the highest demerit penalties in the schedule.
- Insurance impact — a conviction in this range can move you into high-risk insurance for years.
- Licence suspension — possible at the court's discretion for the most serious speeds.
The bigger picture
Hannah Hamilton of the Alberta Motor Association noted that one in four crashes in Alberta involves speeding, and that driving just 20 km/h over the limit makes a crash six times more likely. With summer driving season ahead, enforcement on Stoney Trail and other high-speed corridors is expected to keep ramping up.
If you've been summoned to court
A summons is not a conviction. Speed readings, device calibration, officer notes, and the wording of the charge all matter — and they're all things that can be reviewed before you ever step into a courtroom. Don't ignore the date on the summons, and don't assume the fastest path is just to plead guilty.