Provincial Offences

OTHER SERVICES: PROVINCIAL OFFENCES

Provincial Offences Act

In Ontario, the Provincial Offences Act (POA) is a provincial statute that sets out procedures for the prosecution of offences under other provincial statutes and regulations and municipal by-laws. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, municipalities are responsible for the administration of courts hearing Provincial Offences Act matters and the prosecution of certain POA cases on behalf of the Attorney General.

Provincial offences

Provincial offences are minor (non-criminal) offences that include, but are not limited to:

• speeding, careless driving, or not wearing your seat belt – Highway Traffic Act
• failing to surrender your insurance card or possessing a false or invalid insurance card – Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act
• being intoxicated in a public place or selling alcohol to a minor – Liquor Licence Act
• entering prohibited premises or failing to leave premises after being directed to do so – Trespass to Property Act
• smoking in an enclosed workplace or selling tobacco to a person under 19 (Smoke Free Ontario Act)
• Occupational Health and Safety, Ministry of Environment, Transportation, Natural Resources, Labour, or Finance violations
• Municipal bylaws (noise, zoning, parking)

• Most provincial offences charges result in out-of-court fine payments. Persons who get a ticket under the Provincial Offences Act should read it carefully for a complete list of the options available to them.

Who can issue Provincial Offence Notices (tickets)?

There are many enforcement agencies in Toronto who can issue you a ticket, including:

• City By-law Enforcement (Toronto Public Health, Municipal and Licensing and Standards officers)
• Toronto Fire Services
• Toronto Police Service
• Ontario Provincial Police
• Ministry of Transportation
• Ministry of Environment
• Ministry of Labour
• Ministry of Natural Resources
• Ministry of Health
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
• Go Transit
• T.T.C.

Types of Provincial Offence Notices (tickets)

There are three different types of Provincial Offence Notices.

Part I – a ticket that is issued to an individual

Part II – parking tickets

Part III – a summons (including a court date)

The Offence Notice (ticket) Process

After being served a ticket (Offence Notice) the defendant then has three options

1. Pays fine – a conviction is registered
2. Pleads guilty with explanation – a conviction is registered
3. Attends court office to file a request for trial (must complete a Notice of Intention to Appear) and/or meet with a prosecutor.

Time Limitation

You have 15 days from receipt of an offence notice to exercise one of the above noted options. If you fail to respond you will be deemed not to dispute the charge. If you do not exercise one of the above options within 15 days, or if you do not appear for your trial, a Justice of the Peace will review your case and may enter a conviction in your absence.

Provincial Offences Courts:

• accept payment of Provincial Offence fines (except parking fines)
• schedule and supports Provincial Offence trials
• provide intake court services (e.g. walk-in guilty pleas, re-opening applications, extension of time to pay, etc.)
• provide information on the filing of appeals
• receiving and processing transcript orders of the official court proceedings
• manage the filing of Provincial Offences Act matters including appeals
• provide information for general inquiries about Provincial Offences via mail and e-mail, telephone, in person

Four (4) Digit ICON numbers on your Traffic Ticket or Notice:

Often, motorists receive Yellow Offence Notices or Notice of Fine and Due Date or a Red Light Camera Offence Notice and are not sure who to talk to or where they should go to Request a Trial Date to contest their tickets. Often there is a sequence of numbers on the ticket or notice which can aid a motorist in locating the office responsible for their tickets.

• On a Yellow Offence Notice – look at the top left hand corner and you will see a four (4) digit ICON number.
• On a Notice of Fine & Due Date Notice or a Red Light Camera Offence Notice – look at the first four (4) digits of the Offence Number – this is the four (4) digit ICON number.

After you have identified those four (4) digits, review this list of ICON numbers. You will find the four (4) digit ICON number, the corresponding Provincial Offence Office and corresponding phone numbers.

Provincial Offences Act (POA) offices in Ontario

To find the municipality to which your POA fine is payable:

Please note that court staff cannot provide you with a legal advice. If you are not sure what you’ll have to do – contact CPsolutions