Test

Penalty Notice

The Township of Woolwich uses the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) to process and adjudicate contraventions of its regulatory by-laws and provincial regulations, including parking, noise, animal control, and more.

The Township AMPS program is fully managed at the municipal level and replaces the former judicial appeal process.

The AMP system is designed to streamline the enforcement of, and increase compliance with Township by-laws. Under AMPS, Penalty Notice disputes are handled by the municipality through the use of Screening and Hearing Officers who are able to modify, cancel, or affirm penalties. This approach is designed to reduce congestion in the courts and to provide a local, accessible and efficient dispute resolution system.

View the Administrative Monetary Penalty System By-law on our By-law page and to better understand the process click through the information provided below.

Paying a Penalty Notice

 All Penalty Notices can be paid online through the Townships Payment Processing Form. Please note, online payments are subject to a $1.50 service fee.

Pay Online

Pay by Mail:

Make your cheque or money order payable to:
Township of Woolwich
24 Church Street West
P.O. Box 158
Elmira, ON N3B 2Z6

Write the penalty notice number on the front of your cheque or money.

In Person:

During regular business hours of Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm at the Township Administration Office (24 Church Street West, Elmira)

After hours by cheque made payable to the Township of Woolwich drop box at the Township Administration Office on Maple Street.

Please allow sufficient time for your payment to be delivered. Payment date is the date received, not the date of mailing. Do not send cash in the mail.

Dispute a Penalty Notice

Every person who is issued a Penalty Notice has the right to dispute the Penalty Notice by requesting a Screening Review within 30 days of the issuance of the Penalty Notice.

After review of a Screening Review request, a Screening Officer may:

  • affirm the administrative penalty, including any administrative fee(s)
  • cancel or reduce the Administrative Penalty, including any administrative fee(s),
  • or extend the time for payment of the administrative penalty, including any administrative fee(s)

If you wish to dispute your penalty notice, fill out and submit the following form by following the instructions enlisted:

Request a Screening Review

PLEASE NOTE:

  • All Screening Reviews will be held either in writing or via phone. If you require accommodation, you should inform the Township as soon as possible.
  • Language interpreters are not provided by the Township, and you are responsible for providing your own.
  • If you have a scheduled screening review over the phone and fail to answer the phone or call back the officer within 30 minutes of your appointment time, your administrative penalty will be increased by $25.

If a person wishes to dispute the screening decision, a person may request a Hearing Appeal by the following the link below no later than 30 days after the date of service of the Screening Decision:

Request a Hearing Review

After a Hearing Appeal request, a Hearing Officer may:

  • affirm the administrative penalty, including any administrative fee(s)
  • cancel or reduce the Administrative Penalty, including any administrative fee(s),
  • or extend the time for payment of the administrative penalty, including any administrative fee(s)

The Hearing Officer is not bound to the decision of the Screening Officer and the decision of the Hearing Officer is final.

PLEASE NOTE: 

  • All Hearing Appeals will be held hybrid, virtually or in writing. If you require accommodation, you should inform the Township as soon as possible.
  • Language interpreters are not provided by the Township, and you are responsible for providing your own.
  • If you have a scheduled hearing appeal and fail to attendant the scheduled hybrid or virtual hearing date and time, your administrative penalty will be increased by $50.

If you received a Penalty Notice and have a valid reason needing additional time to request a screening or hearing review, you can request an extension for review. This request must be made within 30 days after the effective date of service.

Request an Screening/Hearing Review Extension

Additional Information

Under certain circumstances, additional fees can be applied for specific reasons pertaining to your administrative penalty:

  • Late payment of parking administrative penalty – $25
  • Late payment of administrative penalty – 25% of set penalty amount
  • Screening review non-appearance fee – $25
  • Hearing appeal non-appearance fee – $50
  • MTO Search Fee – $10
  • Plate Denial Fee - $25

Frequently Asked Questions

A Penalty Notice is the same as a ticket, except that it requires payment of a penalty instead of a fine. The Penalty Notice is issued by a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer to an individual or corporation when they have committed a by-law infraction.

Yes. To dispute a penalty notice, complete the online form in the AMPS portal to schedule a screening review. You will have the opportunity to provide evidence such as photographs to support your claims.

If you wish to dispute your penalty notice, you have thirty (30) days from the date you received your penalty notice to request a screening review by filling out the online form through the AMPS Portal.

If the matter is still in dispute following the review by the Screening Officer, you can request a review by a Hearing Officer before the payment due date listed on your screening decision notice. The Hearing Officer’s decision is final.

If you do not choose one of the options listed on the back of your penalty notice, the Township of Woolwich will assume you have decided not to dispute the penalty notice and you may be required to pay additional administrative fees. 

Where an Administrative Penalty, and any applicable Administrative Fee(s), are not paid by the Person to whom the Penalty Notice was issued to within thirty (30) days after the date on which they are due and payable, the Township may:

  • Notify the Ministry of the default which shall result in plate denial;
  • Add the Administrative Penalty, and any applicable Administrative Fee(s) to the tax roll and collect it in the same manner as municipal taxes;
  • Pursue any other collection mechanisms available to the Township.

The Screening Officer may only extend the time to request a screening review of a penalty notice of an administrative penalty where the recipient demonstrates on a balance of probabilities the existence of extenuating circumstances that warrant the extension of time. 

If you do not attend your scheduled appointment, the penalty notice will be confirmed, and the vehicle’s registered owner will be required to pay a fee for failing to attend the appointment. The fee for failure to appear at a scheduled screening review appointment is $25.00 and $50.00 for a hearing review appointment.

By-law Enforcement
24 Church Street West
P.O. Box 158
Elmira ON, N3B 2Z6
519-669-6000
Email

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