York Region improvements to Court Services operations enhancing fine collection efforts

Newmarket – York Regional Council received an update on collection of defaulted fines under the Provincial Offences Act. To improve Court Services operations, Regional Council also approved an adjustment to the Region’s default fine fee, ensuring collection of defaulted fines operates through cost recovery of the program.

“York Region’s Provincial Offences Court is a crucial part of the Provincial justice system providing administrative services to over 30 law enforcement and regulatory agencies,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Eric Jolliffe. “Primary responsibilities include administrative support of all Provincial Offences Act proceedings for charges issued and prosecuted in York Region, along with cases before the Ontario Court of Justice and enforcing and collecting court ordered fines, costs, surcharges and fees.”

Key highlights include:

• By improving processes and enforcement options, in 2024 York Region successfully collected $7.4 million in default fine revenue, a 10% increase in default fine revenue
• Throughout 2025, York Region will continue advancing modernization strategies to further optimize the collections program; this includes a more targeted approach to collection practices, improving defendant contact information and further streamlining enforcement processes
• Effective January 1, 2026, York Region’s default fine fee will increase by $23 to support collections program cost recovery; this adjustment will bring York Region’s total default fine fees to $88, which includes the Provincially legislated $40 default fee and aligns with the fee structures of several other Provincial Offences Act courts across Ontario

"In addition to implementing local enhancements, York Region continues promoting legislative amendments and new policies through the Ministry of Attorney General Collections Innovation Committee," said Township of King Mayor Steve Pellegrini, Chair of Finance and Administration. "Collaborating with other levels of government, we are developing more adaptable and effective collection methods to ensure every fine is paid in a timely manner, avoiding unnecessary additional expenses on default fines."

The Provincial Offences Act gives defendants charged with an offence three options: pay the fine, dispute the charge through walk-in guilty process or request a trial. If a defendant fails to choose one of these options or fails to pay the fine imposed by the court, the fine goes into default.

In rare instances - and in accordance with Ministry directives and guidelines - certain defaulted fines may be deemed uncollectable and appropriate for administrative write-off. In such cases, a defendant is never absolved from the requirement to pay a fine as debts to the Crown are owed in perpetuity. Accordingly, collection activities related to written-off accounts can be reinstated if conditions change.

To maintain the integrity of the justice system, every effort is made to collect court-ordered fines, including:

• Notices: Informing people who owe fines about their outstanding debts
• Administrative consequences: Using measures such as suspending licenses or denying vehicle plates to encourage payment
• Collaborating with local cities and towns: Adding unpaid fines to property tax bills to ensure they are paid
• Civil enforcement: Using legal methods to collect fines when possible, including hiring specialized agencies to collect unpaid fines or garnishing wages

Information regarding the payment of fines can be found at york.ca/courts  

Key facts about York Region’s Court Services:

• York Region Provincial Offences Courts oversee non-criminal matters such as:
  • Traffic violations
  • Municipal bylaws
  • Environmental offences
  • Public Health violations
• More than 197,000 people sought assistance from Court Services in 2024, representing a 23% increase from 2023
• In 2024, York Region Court Services received approximately 40,000 trial requests, representing a 20% dispute rate
• Trial courts addressed 71,549 matters in 2024, a slight increase from 2023

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to 1.29 million residents and 57,000 businesses with approximately 624,000 employees. More information about York Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/RegionalServices

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Media Contact:

Barbara Schnier, Corporate Communications,
The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 905-505-5775
Email: @email