HALDIMAND — Haldimand County Council has approved a new strategy to tackle $7.2 million in outstanding Provincial Offence fines, marking a significant step toward improving collections and addressing long-standing arrears.
During its December 10, 2024 meeting, Council received an update from Lori Friesen, Manager of Legal & Support Services, on the challenges and proposed solutions associated with fine recovery.
Friesen outlined the scope of the issue, noting that Haldimand County’s outstanding fines form part of the $1.7 billion in unpaid fines across Ontario.
Recovery efforts have been hampered by judicial shortages, legislative changes, and pandemic-related disruptions, all of which delayed enforcement and collection activities.
She presented a proactive four-phase strategy that includes optimising software systems, partnering with third-party collection agencies, and implementing best practices to recover funds.
The strategy divides the outstanding fines into categories based on their age. More recent fines, from 2020 onwards, will go through a staged process involving collection notices, licence suspensions, and progressively rigorous third-party collection efforts. Older fines, including those dating back to the 1970s, will be handled by third-party agencies specialising in difficult-to-collect debts.
Friesen explained that all fines would be subject to multiple collection attempts before being considered for write-offs. She emphasised that writing off fines removes them from the County’s receivables, but does not absolve the debtor’s legal obligation to pay.
Councillor John Metcalfe raised questions about the composition of the $7.2 million in outstanding fines, asking for a breakdown by offence type, such as moving violations or more serious infractions. Friesen noted that recently re-implemented Court Administration Management Software (CAMS) would allow staff to generate detailed reports in the future.
She highlighted that the County had already begun using CAMS to automate collection workflows, a move expected to enhance efficiency.
Metcalfe also asked about the fate of fines related to commercial motor vehicle offences on County roads. He noted that these infractions, often involving substantial penalties, place a heavy burden on local infrastructure but do not always result in revenue for the County. Friesen explained that fines are directed to the municipality where they are filed, and staff would investigate whether Haldimand County is receiving appropriate revenue from these cases.
Councillor Dan Lawrence echoed concerns about missed revenue opportunities, particularly with respect to overweight vehicles crossing the Caledonia bridge. He requested a detailed report on the number of infractions recorded by sensors on the bridge and the associated revenue. Friesen assured Council that staff would follow up with the Ministry of Transportation on these fines.
Councillor Rob Shirton supported the proposed strategy. He noted the importance of annual reporting to ensure transparency and accountability in the collection process.
Friesen confirmed that the new approach includes replacing the current monthly ticket statistics with a comprehensive annual report that will provide context on collection efforts, ticket issuance, and write-offs. The approved strategy also involves revisiting the County’s collection and write-off policies to align them with best practices and legislative requirements.
A revised policy is expected to be presented to Council in 2025, along with an updated County-wide write-off policy.
The strategy’s phased approach and integration of automated systems are expected to enhance recovery rates and reduce arrears over time, while providing a clear process for managing uncollectible fines.
