What are Bylaws?
Bylaws are rules and regulations created to maintain the safety and wellbeing of the community. Bylaws are typically enforced using warnings and fines. Breaching a bylaw can result in a fine.
This section of the pamphlet will focus on the bylaws and the relevant processes that are applicable within the municipality of the City of Edmonton. This pamphlet will also discuss what happens when a fine is not paid.
Where Can I Find Bylaws?
Bylaws can be found online at: https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/bylaws.aspx. Online versions of the bylaws do not contain the maps, charts, and graphs that may be important to understanding the bylaw and how it works. If you would like to better understand the bylaw, you can contact the Office of the City Clerk. The Office of the City Clerk maintains all the bylaws and can provide printed versions.
The Office of the City Clerk can be contacted at:
City Hall - 3rd Floor
1 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, AB T5J 2R7
Ph: 780-496-8178
Fax: 780-496-8175
Email: Informationservices@edmonton.ca
Fines
A fine is a financial penalty issued to an individual who has breached a rule, regulation, or law (including bylaws). While only the government can create laws, private organizations and other agencies may have rules and regulations for those participating in their business.
Note: This pamphlet focuses on government-issued fines.
Types of Government Fines
There are three types of government fines that an individual may receive:
Municipal Fines (e.g., City of Edmonton Fines) - These are imposed when an individual violates a city by-law or regulation and include things such as parking tickets.
Provincial Fines - These are imposed when an individual violates a provincial law or regulation and include things such as speeding tickets and hunting and wildlife violations.
Federal Fines - These are imposed when an individual violates a federal law or regulation, such as impaired driving, assault, or another criminal charge that results in a fine. Other federal laws may impose a fine, such as the Access to Information Act or the Canada Elections Act.
Each level of government oversees different areas of the law and will have different rules and/or requirements for the repayment of fines.
Other Types of Fines
Private organizations and agencies can use fines to enforce compliance with their private bylaws. Examples of a private organization or agency include condominiums, corporations, or a sports league. Private organizations can issue fines, but they can only issue them against those who are, or should be, aware of the organization's rules and regulations. For example, if a guest caused an issue in a condominium building, the owner of the unit may have to pay the fine because the owner should know the rules and regulations.
Private organizations or agencies handle enforcement differently than government-issued fines. If a person does not respond to a privately issued fine, the private company may hire a collection agency to obtain the payment, and the individual may receive other penalties, including a late fee. The Courts can assist with issues of settlement and resolve any unfair processes or conduct. Additionally, private organizations still have to follow applicable laws. For example, under the Condominium Property Act, if the breach of a condominium bylaw results in a monetary fine, the amount must be specified within the bylaw.
Receiving a Fine
It is crucial that individuals review the paperwork they receive when they are given a fine in order to determine:
What the fine is for
The amount of the fine
Whether you MUST appear in court
How to pay a fine
Typically, if an individual receives a fine that does not require a court appearance and the individual pays the fine, they are considered to have pleaded guilty and accepted the penalty. In this case, the matter is finished after the fine is paid.
How to contest a fine:
Contesting a fine means that you either disagree with the fine in full or the amount of the fine.
Generally, after you contest a fine, you will be given a court date where you will appear before a Judge or Justice of the Peace to explain why you do not agree with the fine.
If a fine is given after an individual is convicted of breaching a regulation or law, the fine cannot be contested other than through an appeal.
An example of this occurs for instance if someone is convicted of theft under $5000, they could still face an additional fine.
If a fine is given without a conviction, such as a speeding ticket, the ticket will show how and when to pay the fine, and how to contest it if you wish.
Responding to a ticket in a calm and collected manner may make the encounter less memorable for the police officer issuing the ticket; responding otherwise may cause the officer to remember more details about the encounter that could be used against you should you contest the ticket later on.
It can be helpful to immediately write down details about the incident, especially if you wish to contest the fine. Some important details to write down may include:
The contact information of any witnesses and get a statement of what they saw/ heard
The location of the road and traffic signs, anything on the road, and the light signals
The position of the vehicles involved (if any) and their location on the road
The conditions or the road and any relevant weather
Any other details that may be important
Bylaw Complaints Process
Making A Complaint
Before making a complaint, the City of Edmonton encourages individuals to discuss the concern and try to reach a resolution. If the concern is not resolved, an official complaint can be made. To make a complaint about a bylaw violation, the address and description of the violation is required along with your name and phone number.
Generally, you can call 311 to make a bylaw complaint. However, certain types of complaints can be made online at: https://311.edmonton.ca/
The types of complaints that can be made online are:
Dead animal removal request
Excessive barking dog
Excessive dog defecation
Snow/Ice on sidewalk
Unlicensed pet
Untidy/unsightly property
When making a complaint, your knowledge may be required if the matter goes to court and testimony is needed from you.
Response to the Complaint
After a complaint is made, a file for the complaint is created. Either a Municipal Enforcement Officer (MEO), Community Standards Peace Officer (CPO), or an Animal Control Officer (ACO) will begin an investigation within 4 business days. Depending on the circumstances, the officer may provide a warning with a time frame for the individual to resolve the concern or they may issue a fine. An officer may also issue an Order permitting the City to fix the issue and bill the property owner for the cost. The City may also request that you appear as a witness if the issue continues onto court.
Bylaw Enforcement Process
A person who violates a bylaw is guilty of an offence and will be liable to a penalty. In response to a bylaw offence an order to comply, a municipal tag, or a violation ticket may be issued. Each of these are different and have different consequences.
Order to Comply
If there are reasonable grounds to believe that a bylaw is being violated, an order to comply may be issued. The order may require someone to:
a. stop doing something, or change the way they are doing something;
b. take action to fix the violation and/or prevent it from continuing;
The Order will generally also state a time within which a person must comply with the bylaw and state what action the City will take if the person does not comply with the bylaw.
Municipal Tag
If a municipal tag is issued in response to an offence, it will specify a fine of a certain amount (the amount varies depending on the offence). If that amount is paid on or before the specified due date, the offender will not be prosecuted. If the fine is not paid before the due date, a violation ticket may be issued.
Violation Ticket
There are two types of violation tickets:
a) Summons Violation Ticket
Pink in colour, reads “Part 2, Summons” in the top right corner
A summons violation will have a complaint (noting the alleged offence) and a summons (noting a date to appear in Court and how to respond to the summons)
A summons violation ticket may offer an option of voluntary payment or may only require a court appearance
b) Offence Notice Violation Ticket
Yellow or white in colour, read “Part 3, Offence Notice” in the top right corner
An offence notice violation ticket will have a certificate of offence (noting the alleged offence) and an offence notice (indicating the penalty for the offence, a date to appear in Court, and how to respond to the offence notice)
An offence notice always offers the option of voluntary payment
Voluntary Payment
If a violation ticket includes a fine, the defendant has the option to make a voluntary payment. A voluntary payment of a summons violation ticket is made by paying the fine noted on the ticket on or before the date of the Court appearance. Voluntary payment of an offence notice violation ticket is made by paying the amount noted as the penalty of the offence. Voluntary payment of a violation ticket is both a guilty plea and a conviction of a bylaw offence.
Appearances
A defendant will have to make a Court appearance if required by a summons violation ticket. A defendant may also have to make a Court appearance if they wish to plead not guilty to a bylaw offence (although some violation tickets allow you to sign a not guilty plea and mail it to the Court). Once a defendant appears in Court and enters a plea of not guilty, a trial date will be set.
Contesting a Ticket
If you receive a ticket for an offence that you have not committed, you can contest the ticket. You can contest a ticket by appearing in court on or before the appearance date noted on your ticket and entering a plea of not guilty. Your ticket may also provide another way of entering a not guilty plea (by signing a not guilty plea on the ticket and mailing it, for example).
To contest a city of Edmonton violation ticket you can contact Bylaw and Ticket Administration by phone at 780-496-5161, Monday to Friday between 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
Owner Liability for Traffic Bylaws
Under the Traffic Bylaw (Bylaw 5590) if a vehicle is involved in an offence, the owner of that vehicle is liable for that offence. However, if you can establish that you were:
not driving (or parking) the car; and
that the car was being driven (or parked) without your permission (either express or implied); you will not be held liable for the offence.
Failure to Respond
Failure to respond to a penalty for a bylaw offence can result in a variety of consequences. You may be unable to obtain important services such as vehicle registration. Late payments may be added. In some cases, a warrant for arrest may be issued. If you do not pay a municipal tag, you may be issued a violation ticket.
If you fail to respond to a summons violation ticket:
a not guilty plea may be entered and a trial date set;
a warrant for arrest may be issued; OR
a new summons may be issued requiring a court appearance.
If you fail to respond to an offence notice violation ticket, a guilty plea will be entered, and you will owe the noted penalty. If you have a good reason for missing your trial date, you can apply to have this conviction set aside within 3015 days. To do so, you will have to go to court with a filed affidavit explaining why you failed to respond to the ticket. If the ticket is in relation to a traffic matter, an Affidavit on Application to Set Aside a Conviction form can be used from the Traffic Court section of the Alberta Court Website (https://albertacourts.ca/provincial-court/traffic-court).
If a not guilty plea is entered and you fail to appear on your trial date you may be found guilty of the offence, the trial may proceed without you, or a new trial date may be set.
Bylaw and Ticket Payment Options
Municipal tags and bylaw tickets may be paid online or in person. You can pay your ticket online by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Most financial institutions will also allow you to pay a ticket in person on or before the due date.
Municipal Tags (Online): https://coewebapps.edmonton.ca/tags/
Violation Tickets, Notices of Conviction, Time to Pay Notices (Online): https://eservices.alberta.ca/fine-payments.html
By Mail:
City of Edmonton – Ticket Administration
PO Box 2024
Edmonton, AB T5J 4M6
In Person (credit, debit, or cash):
Edmonton Service Centre
2nd Floor - 10111 104 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4
Monday to Friday 8am-4:30pm
Closed: Saturday, Sunday and Statutory Holidays
Offence notice violation tickets or summons violation tickets with a voluntary payment option can also be paid at the provincial courthouse, located here:
Law Courts
1A Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, AB
T5J 0R2
If You Need Help Paying Your Ticket
More Time To Pay
If you go to Court and speak to a Justice of the Peace or a prosecutor and explain your situation, they may be able to reduce the amount of the fine and/or grant more time to pay the fine. Sometimes a payment schedule will be put in place; other times a new deadline will be set. Several factors will be considered including financial need, the amount of the fine, the severity of the offence, and the circumstances of the offence.
Provincial Tickets and Fines
Provincial fines come from laws that the provincial legislature has created. Many provincial tickets and fines come from driving offences such as:
Driving without insurance
Speeding
Failing to stop at a stop sign
Making an unsafe lane change
Driving without a license
For these violations, you may go to court if you wish to contest the fine. The date for you to attend court will be written on your ticket. Provincial tickets that come with a summons (where you MUST appear in court) are generally for more serious violations including:
Careless driving
Hit and run accidents
Excessive speeding
Contesting a Traffic Ticket or Fine
You may want to contest your traffic ticket or fine. There are several common reasons why a person may want to contest their ticket or fine including:
Errors on the ticket
You believe you are not guilty of the charge
The Crown Prosecutor cannot prove that you committed the offence
Having your license taken away would cause you severe personal hardship
An issued ticket may have errors or mistakes. If you notice any errors note that this does not necessarily invalidate the ticket. If there are errors, you may wish to contact the Crown Prosecutor prior to the court date on your ticket. Depending on the error, the Crown may withdraw the charges, or edit the information and proceed with the court date.
If you feel that you are not guilty of the offence you can fight the ticket in court. Defending a ticket may require additional time and costs. When you attend the court date on your ticket, you may be given another day to attend court for an actual trial. You may have to hire a lawyer for your trial and take time off work. At trial there is no guarantee of a win. When going to court bring any notes you made and bring any witnesses that you wish to call. Be sure to get their full names and addresses.
Note: The Police will have 6 months to lay charges against you from the date of the traffic offence.
Paying Provincial and Federal Fines (Alberta)
Provincial and federal fines can generally be paid:
Online
Payments must be in full, and the online amount will include late fees.
If the ticket cannot be found online:
it may not have been entered yet as it was issued within the last 90 days, OR
it was issued more than 2 years ago and cannot be paid online. In which case the ticket and payment to the address listed on the letter from Fines Enforcement.
Online payments cannot be made for:
Fines due for Federal Offences
Restitution and other Court Orders directing payment to a victim
Municipal Fines
In Person
At a registry (Motor Vehicle Related Fines Only)
only tickets from the last five years can be paid at a registry office
At a courthouse
partial payments can be paid at a court office
Mail
To the address listed on the ticket
Fines Enforcement Program (Traffic and Criminal Code fines)
PO Box 11363, Edmonton, AB T5J 3K6
You can mail a cheque or money order addressed to the Government of Alberta.
You should not send cash.
Payment should include the ticket or docket number, so the correct fine is paid off.
NOTE: For traffic tickets that are not municipal bylaw violations you can request more time to pay online at: https://traffictickets.alberta.ca/
Alternatives To Payment of Bylaws and Tickets
If you do not have a source of income, you may enroll in several alternative programs to pay the bylaw, ticket or fine.
Fine Option Program: This service is only available to those with unpaid Criminal Code fines. If an individual receives a fine and non-payment of the fine would lead to time in jail, they can speak with the Crown to request enrolment in the Fine Option Program. This program allows you to pay off a fine on an hourly basis by doing some community service work, which is paid at minimum wage.
To participate in this program, individuals must:
Be able to work in Canada
At least 18 years of age
Apply for enrolment in the program on or before the due date of the fine.
The Fine Option Program can be contacted at 1-855-738-4747.
Institutional Fine Option Program: If an individual is serving time in jail because of a defaulted payment, they can potentially enroll in the Institutional Fine Option Program by talking to the staff at the institution. In this program, they may be assigned extra work within the institution, or they may be able to complete some community service outside the institution.
WHO CAN I CALL FOR MORE HELP OR INFORMATION?
Provincial Court Clerks – Criminal
Edmonton: 780-427-7868
Fax: 780-422-9736
The Provincial Court Criminal Clerks are able to assist in providing information for Provincial Court Criminal matters regarding judicial procedures, court appearances, trial dates, adjournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpoenas, witness fees, and payment of fines. It is not their role to provide you with legal advice. The criminal division does not handle traffic matters.
Provincial Court Clerks – Traffic
Edmonton: 780-427-5913
Fax: 780-427-5791
The Provincial Court Traffic Clerks are able to assist in providing information for Provincial Court Traffic matters regarding bylaw matters, judicial procedures, court appearances, trial dates, adjournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpoenas, witness fees, and payment of fines. It is not their role to provide you with legal advice.
Student Legal Services – Criminal Law Project
#100, 9924 106 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 1C7
Ph: 780-425-3356
Email: slsoed@ualberta.ca
The Criminal Law Project looks to assist adults who have been charged with an offence but are unable to afford a lawyer or qualify for Legal Aid Alberta. A law student will volunteer their time to provide free legal assistance where they can act as an agent for you while acting under the supervision of advising lawyers. Student Legal Services is able to assist with only some types of tickets and other legal matters and it is recommended that you call for more information.
Edmonton Community Legal Centre (ECLC)
Telus House, South Tower
Second Floor – 10020 100 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 0N3
Ph: 780-702-1725
Edmonton Community Legal Centre (ECLC) provides legal services for low-income Albertans in certain areas of family and civil law. These services include free legal information, referral, and legal education. ECLC may also be able to provide legal advice if you fall within their eligibility criteria. Much of their legal information can be found on their website, as well as the time, dates, and locations of their public legal education programs. Additionally, ECLC has a fee waiver program if your income and document fall within their guidelines.
Legal Aid
Revillon Building
10320 102 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5J 4A1
Toll Free Ph: 1-866-845-3425
Legal Aid Alberta functions to assist low-income Albertans with certain types of legal matters. Assistance is provided through information, referrals, advice, and/or representation, depending on what your matter is and which eligibility guidelines you meet.
Fine Options Program
14605 134 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5L 4S9
Ph: 1-855-738-4747
This program is run by the City of Edmonton for adult offenders to work off fines instead of making payments or spending time incarcerated. Participants complete community work service for a specified number of hours, depending on how much of their fine they wish to pay off through this program. You must be 18 years of age and eligible to work in Canada.
Office of the City Clerk
City Hall - 3rd Floor
1 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, AB T5J 2R7
Ph: 780-496-8178
Fax: 780-496-8175
Email: city.clerk@edmonton.ca
The Office of the City Clerk handles City Council business, including bylaws, and maintains information and records for the municipal government.
Edmonton Service Center
2nd Floor. 10111 104 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4
Book an appointment online at:
https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/edmonton-service-centre.aspx
The Edmonton Service Center is a one stop shop for individuals dealing with city matters, such as permits, passes, and licenses. Certain payments can also be made here.
Fine Enforcement Program
Email: tbf.fines-enforcement@gov.ab.ca
Fax: 780-415-6026
This is the program through the Government of Alberta that enfor