Administrative Penalty System

Effective July 2025, the Town of East Gwillimbury has moved to the Administrative Penalty System (APS). APS allows the Town to process and adjudicate contraventions of its regulatory by-laws such as property standards, and animal control.

Parking Tickets are still processed through the Provincial Court System at this time, if you wish to dispute a parking ticket, please contact bylaws@eastgwillimbury.cafor the steps to dispute the parking ticket.

What is APS?

APS is a municipally administered program that replaces the current court system with a fast, more flexible and customer-focused adjudication process for by-law offences. This allows the Town to administer and deal with Penalty Notices in a timely manner by assigning internal Screening and Hearing Officers to assist notice holders in a fair and efficient dispute resolution process, as compared to the traditional provincial court system.

Benefits of the APS

Under the previous system tickets were disputed in the Ontario Court of Justice. A municipality has limited opportunity to present a flexible alternative to settle these disputes.

APS moves disputes out of the court system and gives municipalities the discretion to resolve tickets at a screening review. A person who disagrees with the decision of the screening officer can request a hearing before a Hearing Officer.

The new system will be more efficient, user friendly and less intimidating. APS will maintain the fundamental principles of justice and due process. Under this new process, most ticket escalations will be resolved within 90 days – much faster than the previous, court-based system.

What to do when you are issued a Penalty Notice

You have two options when you are issued a Penalty Notice.
You can:

Pay your Penalty Notice: Receive a discount if you make a voluntary early payment within 15 days.
Dispute your Penalty Notice: Request a Screening Review to dispute your ticket. You have 15 days to do this from when the notice was issued.

Paying your penalty notice:

Pay in person using debit or cash at Customer Service at the EG Civic Centre (19000 Leslie Street, Sharon) during regular business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
Pay by mail using a cheque or money order payable to:
The Town of East Gwillimbury
19000 Leslie Street
Sharon, ON, L0G 1V0

Requesting a Screening Review

If you are disputing your Penalty Notice, you must submit the Request for Screening Officer Review Form explaining your reason for disputing the ticket.

Request for Screening Officer Review Form

The Screening Officer Review can be conducted via:

Video call

Phone call

In-person at the EG Civic Centre (19000 Leslie Street, Sharon)

Request an agent or extension

If you have requested a Screening Officer Review appointment and are not able to attend yourself, you may send a designate on your behalf.

Agent Authorization Form

Are there extenuating circumstances making it challenging to pay or dispute your ticket on time? You may be eligible for an extension. Discuss this with the Screening Officer.

APS Hearings

If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Screening Officer, you may appeal the decision to a Hearing Officer. Hearing Officer reviews are held virtually and in-person (upon request) and certain portions may be open to the public. For more information, contact bylaws@eastgwillimbury.ca.

Why act now?

We recommend you act early to avoid additional administrative fees being added to your total amount payable. If you act within 15 days of the Penalty Notice being issued, you are eligible to make a reduced payment, or you have the option to dispute your Penalty Notice by requesting a Screening Officer Review.

If you don't act within 15 days:

After 15 days: You will now owe the "Set Amount" (found on your Penalty Notice).

After 30 days: You will now owe the "Set Amount" plus $25 late fee.

After 60 days: The Penalty Notice amount and any additional fees may be added to taxes or sent to a collection agency.

Knowing the fees you incur

Under specific circumstances, additional fees are applied to either the Set Amount or Late Amount. Additional fees include:

$25 Late fee if you fail to respond to the penalty notice within 30 days.

$50 Non-Appearance Fee if you fail to attend your confirmed Screening Officer Review.

$100 Non-Appearance Fee if you fail to attend your confirmed Hearing Officer Review.

Preparing for your screening review

You have the option to request a Screening Officer Review. You will have the opportunity to provide reasons as to why you are disputing your Penalty Notice with a Screening Officer.

Once you’ve submitted your  Request for Screening Officer Review Form, a Screening Officer will contact you by your preferred communication method within seven days. Screening Officer reviews take place on Tuesdays between 9 to 11:30 a.m. and Thursdays between 1:30 to 4 p.m.  

Note: Language interpreters are not provided by the Town and you are responsible for providing your own, if English is not your first language.

If you are attending the Screening Officer Review and are not the registered owner, you must provide authorization to act as an agent on the owner’s behalf. This must be signed by the registered owner.

If you fail to appear on the date and time of your Screening Officer Review you will be charged a Non-Appearance Fee of $50.

Evidence

Submit copies of any documents that may assist as evidence. This may include:

Photographs

Condominium letter/lease

Accessible parking permit

Medical note

Death certificate

If you are in financial hardship and require additional time to pay, please bring documents to support this claim. Documents may include:

Old Age Security

Canada Pension

Guaranteed Income Supplement

Disability Pension

Ontario Assistance Program

Any other form of social assistance

Review the Town's Undue Hardship Policy for more information.

Screening Review procedure

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

Cancel the Penalty Notice (including Administrative Fees)
Affirm the Penalty Notice (including Administrative Fees)
Extend the time for payment of the Penalty Notice (including Administrative Fees)

Screening decision and payment

The Screening Officer will issue you a written decision (provided by email, in-person or by mail). Once a decision has been made, the decision will note if the ticket has been cancelled or upheld. If the ticket is upheld, it will outline how much you are required to pay and by what date.

If you are not satisfied with the Screening Officer’s Decision you may request a Hearing Officer Review.

Preparing for your hearing

If you wish to have your Penalty Notice further reviewed, you must request a Hearing Officer Review within 30 days of the Screening Officer’s Decision. 

Hearing Reviews take place virtually between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, and certain portions may be open to the public.

If you are attending the Hearing Officer Review and are not the registered owner you must provide authorization to act as an agent on the owner’s behalf. This must be signed by the registered owner.

Evidence

Submit printed copies of any documents you intend to use as evidence related to the ticket. For example:

Photographs

Condominium letter/lease

Accessible parking permit

Medical note

Death certificate

You may also bring witnesses to the Hearing Officer Review.

You will receive an evidence package prior to your Hearing Officer Review.

A parking enforcement officer or another representative of the Town may attend Hearing Reviews.

Hearing review procedure

Arrive five to 10 minutes before your scheduled hearing time and wait until your matter is called. Like provincial court, there are public and others, in addition to parking enforcement, that may be present.

Your appointment will be held before a Hearing Officer. The Town will present its evidence first and then you will have an opportunity to present your own evidence and/or reasons for disputing the Penalty Notice. The Hearing Officer will review both cases and consider any material submitted when making a decision. 

Note: Language interpreters are not provided by the Town and you are responsible for providing your own if English is not your first language.

If you fail to appear on the date and time of your Hearing Officer Review you will be charged a Non-Appearance Fee of $100.

Hearing decision and payment

During a Hearing Review, the Hearing Officer may:

Cancel the Penalty Notice (including administrative fees)
Affirm the Penalty Notice (including administrative fees)
Reduce the Penalty Notice to the early payment amount
Extend the time for payment of the Penalty Notice (including Administrative Fees)

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

If you fail to pay the amount set out in the hearing decision within 15 days of the due date, additional administrative fees may be added.

Rescheduling or cancelling a Hearing Review

You may request to reschedule a hearing review by providing notice via email or phone no later than 24 hours in advance of the hearing. A hearing review will not be rescheduled more than once, except in extenuating circumstances. Once one request to defer a hearing date has been received, your matter will be rescheduled for the next available Hearing date. 

To reschedule, contact bylaws@eastgwillimbury.ca

If you change your mind and decide to pay the Penalty Notice, please contact the Town so that your hearing can be cancelled. Please include your Penalty Notice number, name and address. If you do not do this 24- hours prior to the meeting, you may receive a Non-Appearance fee of $100. 