By-law Tickets

The Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) is a municipal alternative to the provincial court system that administers and adjudicates by-law offences. The AMPS program of enforcement transfers by-law disputes from the courtroom to the municipality.

AMPS are issued for infractions related to the following By-Laws :

• Traffic Control By-law
• Clean Yard By-law
• Noise By-law
• Animal at Large By-law
• Animal Control By-law (Dogs and Cats)
• Pool Enclosure By-law
• Obstruction of Highways By-law
• Fire Control By-Law
• Fence By-law
• Sign By-law
• Property Standards By-law
• Taxi By-law

Penalty Notices are issued for violations of the Township’s By-laws as described in the Administrative Monetary Penalty System By-law. The Penalty Notice contains a monetary penalty and a due date. You must respond to the Penalty Notice by the due date shown by either paying the penalty amount or by requesting a review by the Screening Officer. Failure to respond to the Penalty Notice by the due date shown may result in additional fees, and the unpaid amount may be added to your municipal taxes.

Additionally, for Ontario Motorists, failure to pay the penalty imposed after it becomes due and payable will result in the Township notifying the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, resulting in plate denial. No permit renewals will be issued to you until the penalties have been paid (applicable to Parking Penalty Notices only).

If requested, a Screening Officer will review the information and evidence in relation to the issued Penalty Notice. Screening reviews are conducted internally after the request form is received. The Screening Officer may affirm, cancel, or reduce the administrative penalty, or extend time to pay the administrative penalty.

If requested, a Hearing Officer, at a hearing, will review the decision of the Screening Officer and related information and evidence. The Township’s AMPS By-law outlines the grounds upon which a Screening or Hearing officer may affirm, cancel, or reduce the administrative penalty.

No.

A fee is not charged for a review of a Penalty Notice. 

If you do not attend a scheduled Hearing review appointment and you have not requested an extension to obtain a Hearing, the penalty notice will be confirmed, additional fees will be added, and the unpaid amount may be added to your municipal taxes.

Additionally, for Ontario Motorists, failure to pay the penalty imposed after it becomes due and payable will result in the Township notifying the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, resulting in plate denial. No permit renewals will be issued to you until the penalties have been paid (applicable to Parking Penalty Notices only).

If the matter is still in dispute following the review by the Screening Officer, you may request a review by a Hearing Officer within 30 days of the issuance of a Screening Officer’s decision using the "Request for Review by a Hearing Officer" Form on this page under Forms. If you have not submitted a Request for Review by a Hearing Officer on or before the date on which the Administrative Penalty is due and payable, you may request an extension to obtain a Hearing. The "Request for Extension to obtain a Hearing Officer" Form is available on this page under Forms. An extension will only be granted if it can be proven that you were not properly served with the Screening Decision as per section 8 of the AMPS By-law. Please note that this option expires after 45 days following the date of the Screening Decision.

The decision made by the Hearing Officer in a Hearing review is final and no further appeal is available, including to another court body.

Anyone can make a payment on your behalf as long as they have your Penalty Notice number and vehicle licence plate number (applicable for parking penalties only). The registered owner of the vehicle or the person named in the Penalty Notice is the only one who can request a Screening or Hearing Review, and must attend the scheduled Screening or Hearing Review appointment unless they have submitted the AMPS Authorization Form to authorize a person to act on their behalf during a Screening and/or Hearing Review. An authorized witness may also attend a Screening or Hearing Review provided that they are authorized by the registered owner of the vehicle or the person named in the Penalty Notice.

Please note: If you fail to appear on the date and time for your Hearing Review, you will be charged a $100.00 administrative fee.

Hearing Review Location

After the submission of a Request for a Review by a Hearing Officer Form, all information that you feel would be relevant for the Hearing Officer to review shall be submitted no later than 3 business days before your scheduled Hearing Review. All Hearing Reviews will be conducted either in person or electronically (via an electronic meeting platform, i.e. Zoom, Teams or Google Meet, etc). It shall be at the Hearing Officers sole discretion on whether the Hearing Review is to be conducted in person or electronically.

Evidence

When you attend the Hearing Review, please bring copies of any documents that you intend to use as evidence in relation to the Administrative Penalty Notice.

If you are in financial hardship and require additional time to pay, please bring in financial documents to support your claim.

If you are sending someone to act on your behalf, you must complete an AMPS Authorization Form and have the person bring it with then to the Hearing Review.

Hearing Review Procedure

The Hearing Officer will review and consider any material you submit before making a decision. During a Hearing Review, the Hearing Officer may:

1. Confirm the Screening Officers Decision; or
2. Cancel or reduce the penalty and/or extend the time for payment of the Administrative Penalty, including any Administrative Fee(s), on the following grounds:
   1. Where the Person establishes on a balance of probabilities that the Designated By-Law(s) as described in the Penalty Notice was not contravened; or
   2. Where the Person establishes on a balance of probabilities that the cancellation, reduction or extension of time for payment of the Administrative Penalty, including any Administrative Fee(s), is necessary to relieve any undue financial hardship.