Champlain Township is about to be the latest Prescott-Russell municipality to change how it collects and manages fines from bylaw infractions. Municipal bylaw infractions include fines for parking, zoning, swimming pool enclosures, animal control, traffic control, property standards, and fire control.
At the Committee of the Whole meeting of council on Thursday, June 13, council agreed that it will soon adopt a bylaw to implement the Administrative Monetary Penalty system (AMPs). Currently, unresolved fines are administered by the Provincial Offences Court, which is managed by the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR). However, revenue remitted to municipalities from the Provincial Offences Court has declined in recent years and municipalities have begun to explore ways to manage bylaw infraction cases more efficiently.
Unlike with the Provincial Offences Court, municipalities no longer have to assume the costs associated with having a case heard in court, and all fine revenue is immediately retained by the municipality
Under AMPs, fines are issued by municipal bylaw enforcement officers. If fines are not paid, the cases are reviewed by a municipal screening officer and if necessary, heard by a hearing officer.
The recommendation to proceed with introducing a bylaw to adopt AMPs in Champlain Township was moved by Councillor Ginette Clément and seconded by Councillor Michel Lalonde.
In recent months, the Town of Hawkesbury and the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet have also adopted AMPs for the administration of their municipal bylaw fines.
