What does a Provincial Offences Court do?
What are provincial offences?
What are the different types of provincial offence notices?
Who can give out provincial offence notices or tickets?
How many days do I have to respond once I receive a provincial offence ticket?
Can I pay my fine with my credit card over the phone?
Why are there two amounts on my ticket?
What if I need more time to pay my fine?
I have a court date set but I can't make it. How do I reschedule it?
I did not receive a notice of trial but I requested one; and I just found out that I'm already convicted. Can I still have a trial?
I don't agree with the outcome of my trial. How do I get a new one?
Can I pay a parking ticket at this office?
I have a concern about receiving a parking ticket. Who do I talk to about that?
I just found out that my driver's licence is suspended. Why? How do I get it back?
I'm from out of town but want to exercise Option #2 (Walk-In Guilty Plea) or Option #3 (Trial Option). Can I attend at the courthouse where I live?


What does a Provincial Offences Court do?
The Provincial Offences Court is the place for:
•  payment of provincial offence fines
•  provincial offence trials
•  walk-in pleas of guilty
•  filing of re-openings
•  general inquiries about provincial offences.

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What are provincial offences?
Provincial offences are non-criminal charges, primarily laid by the police, including those committed under the following:

•  Highway Traffic Act
    E.g.  speeding, careless driving, seat belt offences

•  Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act
    E.g.  fail to surrender your insurance card,
           operate motor vehicle with no insurance

•   Liquor Licence Act
     E.g.  intoxicated in a public place, sell alcohol to a minor

•   Trespass to Property Act
     E.g. enter premises when entry is prohibited,
           fail to leave premises when directed to do so

•   Chatham-Kent by-laws
      E.g.  infractions under smoking, noise, taxi
              and animal care by-laws

***NOTE: For access to the consolidated laws of Ontario (including all Provincial Offences), visit the e-laws web site. 

Most provincial offence charges result in out-of-court fine payments. Citizens issued with provincial offence tickets should read them carefully for a complete list of their payment and trial options.

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What are the different types of provincial offence notices?
There are three different types of provincial offence notices. A Part I notice is a ticket that is issued to an individual usually at the time of the offence, a Part II notice is a parking infraction, and a Part III notice is a summons to attend a court date. 

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Who can give out provincial offence notices or tickets?
There are a number of different types of charges that are covered under the Provincial Offences Act. As a result, there are many enforcement agencies in Chatham-Kent who can issue you a ticket, including:

•   Chatham-Kent By-law Enforcement
•   Chatham-Kent Fire Department
•   Chatham-Kent 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 
•   Canadian National Rail Police
•   Canadian Pacific Rail Police 

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How many days do I have to respond once I receive a provincial offence ticket?
When you are given a Part I ticket with a fine amount indicated at the bottom of the ticket you must choose one of the three options, which are explained on the back of the ticket, within 15 days of receiving the ticket.


Option 1
Plea of Guilty
Payment out of Court

If you choose this option you are stating that you are guilty and you pay the "total payable" amount indicated at the bottom of the ticket. Fines can be paid by coming to our office at the courthouse or at any other provincial offences office. You can also mail your payment to our office using payment slip provided with your ticket.

Payments can be made online at www.paytickets.ca

Payments can be made in person or by mail at the following address:

Chatham-Kent Provincial Offences Court
21633 Communication Rd.
R.R.#5 Blenheim, ON N0P 1A0


Option 2
To plead guilty
with an explanation

If you choose this option you are stating that you are guilty and you explain your financial ability to pay the fine to the Justice of the Peace who can either lower the fine amount or give you more time to pay the fine. Option 2 is also called a walk-in guilty plea and can only be done on the days and times that are shown on the back of your ticket. Please bring your ticket with you. When choosing this option, please note that the Justice of the Peace cannot reduce the charge; e.g., a speeding charge of 20 kilometres over the limit cannot be reduced to 15 kilometres, and he/she cannot remove or reduce the demerit points to be applied. Demerit points are applied by the Ministry of Transportation upon conviction and the court cannot change the demerit points to be applied.

Option 3
Trial Option

This is your notice of intention to appear in court. If you wish to plead not guilty or plead guilty to a lesser charge, you'll need to sign your name under Option 3 on the back of your yellow Provincial Offences Notice (PON) and verify your address that is shown on the front. As well, you must indicate in which language you wish the trial to be held or if you will need an interpreter. You can either bring your PON to our office or mail it to us. Don't wait too long to send it in; otherwise, you could be automatically convicted before we receive it. If your address is different than on the ticket or will be in the next few weeks then you will have to notify us so that your Notice of Trial will go to the proper address. If an agent is representing you at trial, you must authorize the court, in writing, to mail the Notice of Trial to the representative.

The Trial Coordinator will send you a Notice of Trial in the mail, usually 6-8 weeks after we receive your request for trial. If you do not receive a trial notice within this period, please contact the Trial Coordinator at 519.352.8484, ext. 4007. You may choose to hire a lawyer or paralegal to represent you at this trial or you may choose to represent yourself. If you do not appear in person at your trial, you will be deemed not to dispute the charge and sentenced in your absence. Court costs will apply.

If you receive a ticket (Part I or Part III) with a court date written at the bottom of the ticket (summons to court) and there is no fine amount, you must appear in person in court on the date and time shown. If you do not appear, a trial could be scheduled to proceed without you or a warrant could be issued for your arrest.

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Can I pay my fine with my credit card over the phone?
Yes, we can accept this information over the phone. 
Or, you can fax us your credit card number, expiry date, file/ticket number, fine amount to be processed on that account, your signature authorizing us to process your payment and a telephone number where we can contact you in case there is a problem. Fax: 519.352.7979, Attention:  Cashier.

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Why are there two amounts on my ticket?
At the bottom of every ticket, there are two different amounts shown: the set fine and the total payable. As stated to the right of the total payable amount, the difference between these two amounts is called a Victim Fine Surcharge. This surcharge is imposed by the provincial government and is added to every charge issued under the Provincial Offences Act. It came into force on January 1, 1995 across the Province of Ontario. Proceeds from the surcharge will be used to maintain and expand services to victims of crime. The surcharge will be enforced in the same manner as a fine. When you send in your fine payment, send in the Total Payable amount.

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What if I need more time to pay my fine?
Once your ticket has been convicted and if you need more time to pay the fine, you will want to fill out a form for an extension of time to pay. This form is available at any provincial offences office in Ontario. You will be required to fill in all of the information regarding your ticket including how much you have paid so far and a specific date that you would like it extended to, etc. When the form is completed, it should be given back to our office. This form will go before a Justice of the Peace, with the original ticket and any previous extensions, on the next Tuesday or Wednesday to be granted or denied. You will not be notified of the outcome. It is your responsibility to call our office to find out if your extension was granted, for how long and if any payment conditions have been specified. If it is denied, you will want to pay the fine right away or enforcement procedures will occur.

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I have a court date set but I can't make it, how do I reschedule it?
Once a court date is set and if you cannot attend court on that date, the only way that you can change your court date is to file a motion with the court at least two weeks before your court date, although it is best to give more notice. There are forms that you will need to fill out in order to do this, stating in the form when you would like your motion to be heard and why you can't attend your original trial date. The motion has to be heard before the trial. These forms can be obtained from our office. Once they are filled out, these forms must be taken to our office by you to be approved by the municipal prosecutor because he/she has to be prepared on that day as well. You have to appear in person in court on the date of your motion so that you can explain to the Justice of the Peace why you can't attend your upcoming trial date. The Justice of the Peace will either grant or deny your request and if it is granted he/she will also set the new trial date. If it is denied, or if you do not attend, your trial will remain on the date that it was originally scheduled.

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I did not receive a notice of trial but I requested one; and I just found out that I'm already convicted. Can I still have a trial?
In this situation you would want to file a reopening. You can obtain the proper forms by contacting any provincial offences office. You will need to fill them out and sign them, and have them sworn by a commissioner of oaths (available at our office for Provincial Offences Act matters). It is mandatory that the completed forms be received in our office within 15 days after you found out that you were convicted. The forms go in front of a Justice of the Peace with your original ticket on the next Tuesday or Wednesday for approval or denial. If denied, your conviction and fine will stay the same. If granted, you will be given a new trial date for your case to be heard. You will receive a Notice of Trial in the mail. You must attend this trial or you will be convicted again in your absence, and court costs will be added.

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I don't agree with the outcome of my trial, how do I get a new one? After you are convicted at your trial and you don't like what the Justice of the Peace decided, then the only way to get a new trial is to file an appeal.  Appeals are NOT filed at this office.  They are filed with the Ontario Court of Justice Appeal Court at the following address:

425 Grand Ave. W., Chatham, ON   N7M 6M8

The fine must be paid in full first. You will need to complete all necessary appeal forms (available at 425 Grand Ave. W. or at our office) and submit them to the Appeal Court within 15 days after you are convicted for Part I and Part II tickets or 30 days after you are convicted for a Part III summons. You will then be mailed a Notice of Time and Place for your appeal hearing. Appeal cases are heard by a provincial judge at the Ontario Court of Justice Appeal Court in Chatham. You must attend your appeal hearing or it will be dismissed as abandoned. If your appeal is granted a new trial will be ordered. Your new trial will be heard by a presiding Justice of the Peace at Chatham-Kent Provincial Offences Court, 21633 Communication Rd., R.R.#5 Blenheim. If you do not show up at your new trial date, you will be convicted in your absence and court costs will apply.

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Can I pay a parking ticket at this office?
Chatham-Kent parking tickets are paid at the Civic Centre in Chatham or at any Chatham-Kent Municipal Centre until 60 days after the offence date. After that 60 days, they are automatically convicted, a $16.00 cost is added to the fine and they are payable at the Chatham-Kent Provincial Offences Office or any Chatham-Kent Muncipal Centre. If you fail to pay parking tickets, the Ministry of Transportation will deny your plate renewal until you do pay those tickets at the Provincial Offences Office. Your fine will now include another $20.00 fee (plate denial costs) in addition to the already increased fine.

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I have a concern about receiving a parking ticket.  Who do I talk to about that? 
Call the Civic Centre at 519-360-1998 and ask to speak to the Manager of the Chatham Municipal Centre.

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I just found out that my driver's licence is suspended. Why? How do I get it back?
If you fail to pay a Part I or Part III fine by your due date and you have not requested an extension of time to pay, your driver's licence will be suspended and a $20.00 fee is added to your fine. You will be notified of this suspension by a registered letter from the Ministry of Transportation. In order to get your driver's licence reinstated, you will first need to pay all fines that are holding it under suspension at any Provincial Offences Office. Then take your receipt and go to any Driver and Vehicle Licence Issuing Office, show them the receipt and pay them the $150.00 reinstatement fee that is mentioned in the registered letter. Your licence should be reinstated within 3-5 business days and you will receive it back in the mail. You should check with the Ministry of Transportation before you start driving, just to make sure that everything went through.

***NOTE: In Chatham-Kent, the applicable Driver and Vehicle Licence Issuing Office is located at: 
8-455 Grand Ave E., Chatham, Ontario.

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I'm from out of town but want to exercise Option #2 (Walk-In Guilty Plea) or Option #3 – Trial Option. Can I attend at the courthouse where I live?

No, the Province requires that all court options be dealt with in the jurisdiction where the offence occurred.

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