Provincial Offences Administration (POA)
Provincial Offences Administration
The County’s Provincial Offences Administration office is responsible for the administration of the County’s court services including scheduling early resolution meetings, setting trial dates and collection of fines laid under the Provincial Offences Act (POA).
Provincial Offences are non-criminal charges and include fines issued under the Highway Traffic Act, Liquor Licence Act, Trespass to Property Act and Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act. Other charges under Provincial Offences jurisdiction include contravention to municipal by-laws and minor federal statutes such as Fish and Game.
The Provincial Offences Administration is a division of the Treasury Department. Offices are located at:
Provincial Offences Office
County of Huron Court House, Lower Level
1 Courthouse Square
Goderich, ON
N7A 1M2
Phone: 519.524.8394 ext. 2
Fax: 519.524.2044
Email address: poa@huroncounty.ca
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM (excluding holidays)
Provincial Offences Notices
There are three different types of provincial offence notices which are issued – a ticket, called a Certificate of Offence, a parking infraction, or a summons to attend court. Once you have determined exactly what type of notice you have been issued, you will be able to determine how to proceed.
1. Ticket, or Certificate of Offence
Issued by a police officer, for which you have 15 days to respond by choosing one of the following 3 options:
- Plea of Guilty – Payment Out of Court
If you choose this option, you are pleading guilty to the charge and you must pay the TOTAL PAYABLE amount indicated on the ticket. Fines can be paid either in person, online or by mail to our office:County of Huron Provincial Offences Office
1 Courthouse Square
Goderich, ON N7A 1M2Payments may be made by cash, cheque, money order, bank draft, or Mastercard and Visa. Cheques or money orders must be made payable to “Treasurer – County of Huron / POA”. Please write the number of the offence notice on the front of the cheque / money order. Please do not mail cash or post-dated cheques. If paying in person, you also have the option of paying by debit - Early Resolution – Meet with Prosecutor (Applies to Tickets Issued as of March 31, 2012)
By choosing this option you do not forego the right to a trial.You may request a meeting with a prosecutor to discuss possible resolution of the charge. You must file your ticket with the Provincial Offences office to request an early resolution meeting with the prosecutor. You can file your ticket via email, mail or in person. You will be sent a meeting notice to the address on the file. You MUST notify the court of any change of address.If you fail to attend the meeting you will be deemed not to dispute and may be convicted in your absence, and additional fees may be added.
- Trial Option: Notice of Intention to Appear
You must file your ticket with the Provincial Offences office to request a trial date. You can file your ticket via email, mail or in person. You must notify the Court if your address changes.
2. Parking Infraction
Municipal Parking Infractions where you have a choice of paying the set fine or requesting a trial.
3. Summons to Attend Court
These charges are more serious offences. The fine amount will be set in court by the Justice of the Peace. You will be given summons to appear in court on the specified date provided on the summons. If you do not attend court, you could be fined in absentia or a warrant issued for your arrest, depending on the charge.
For the County of Huron, all POA trials and matters are dealt with in the Goderich court, located in the Court House, 1 Courthouse Square, Goderich, Ontario.
POA Court Schedule
POA Court typically occurs on Tuesdays. Please contact the POA office at 519.524.8394 ext. 2 to verify start time and date, as changes occur on occasion.
Notice to Public Regarding Provincial Offences Act Matters
Notice Date: April 28, 2022
Please be advised that the Ontario Court of Justice has posted a new Notice to Counsel/Paralegals and the Public Re: Provincial Offences Act Matters in the Ontario Court of Justice.
This Notice may be found on the Court’s website at www.ontariocourts.ca/ocj/notice-to-public-regarding-provincial-offences-act-matters/.
Contact information for all municipal courts is available here: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/Court_Addresses/poa/
Virtual Court Information
Please reference the information below on how to attend remote court on the date/time indicated on your notice.
Audio and Video Connection Options Are Available:
Option 1: To join by audio:
- Please call 1-855-703-8985 promptly 5 minutes before your start time.
- You will be asked to enter the following Meeting ID Number: 997 9591 4760#
- It will then ask you to press # a second time
Option 2: To join by video:
- Enter https://zoom.us/join in your internet browser.
- Enter the Meeting ID: 997 9591 4760
- Meeting Passcode: 828721
For further information, reference the Zoom User Guide for Remote Hearings in the Ontario Court of Justice.
Payment Options
Payments can be made by: Cash, Debit, VISA, MasterCard, Money Order or personal cheque. Please make payable to: Treasurer, County of Huron. NOTE: Post dated cheques WILL NOT be accepted.
In Person Payments
At the County of Huron POA Department in the lower level of the Huron County Court House, 1 Courthouse Square, Goderich, ON.
By Mail Payments
Send payment (do not send cash in the mail) to:
County of Huron – Provincial Offences Office
1 Courthouse Square
Goderich, ON
N7A 1M2
Out of Town Payments
Payments can also be made at any Provincial Offences Office in Ontario. Please call and verify with your local POA office prior to using this option, as there may be restrictions in place.
For payment inquiries, always refer to your Ticket number, Case number, or Driver’s Licence number; if calling, have this information available for reference. Returned Cheques (NSF) and Credit Card Reversals
All returned cheques and credit card reversals are subject to a $35.00 fee.
Past Due Payments
If you are paying outside of the prescribed time you may have incurred extra fees and your licence may be suspended and/or collection proceedings may have commenced. Please verify your outstanding amount with the Court Office if you are not paying within the prescribed time.
Online Payments
Provincial Offences Act (POA) violations can be paid online using paytickets.ca.
The County of Huron, in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada and Teranet, offers a secure and convenient service for payment of your Provincial Offences Act (POA) violations.
You can use this service to pay Traffic Violations and other POA Part 1 fines issued under the:
- Highway Traffic Act
- Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act
- Liquor Licence Act
- Trespass to Property Act
- Other Provincial Acts
Payments take three business days to process and can be paid with Visa or MasterCard. Please have your Provincial Offences ticket ready. A non-refundable convenience fee of $3.00 applies.
Suspended Licenses
If you have a Notice of Suspension please note that the reinstatement fee is NOT payable to the Court Office. This fee MUST be paid to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) prior to any reinstatement of the licence; failure to pay will cause the licence to remain suspended. The reinstatement process takes 3-5 business days. The FINES affecting the licence ARE payable at the Court Office and not at MTO offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PayTickets.ca?
Paytickets.ca is a service that lets individuals and businesses pay their tickets online using a secure Internet portal. This service is provided in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada and Teranet Enterprises Inc.
I need more time to pay my fine. What can I do?
If you require more time to pay your fine you may apply for more time by completing a Motion for Extension of Time to Pay Fine Time To Pay form. The form will be reviewed. The application can be filed via email, mail or in person. You must contact the Office after Filing to verify the outcome of your application. If the extension is denied, it is important to pay your fine within the allowable period or enforcement procedures will occur.
Can I pay a parking ticket in this office?
Parking tickets may be paid, until 75 days after the offence date, at the local municipal office where the ticket was issued. After this time, you are automatically convicted; a $16 cost will be added to the set fine and the total payable amount must be paid at the County POA office at the Courthouse in Goderich. If you fail to pay your ticket, the Ministry of Transportation will deny your plate renewal until outstanding fines are paid and your fine total will include an additional $40 plate denial cost.
How can I get my driver’s licence reinstated?
Failure to pay Part I, Part II, or Part III offences will result in the suspension of your driver’s licence plus an additional $40 fee, added to your fine. The Ministry of Transportation will notify you of your suspension by a letter. To reinstate your licence you must:
- Pay all outstanding fines in full
- Provide proof of payment to any Ministry of Transportation office and pay their reinstatement fee, as outlined in their notification letter
- Wait to receive your reinstated driver’s licence in the mail, it takes 3 to 4 working days to be re-instated
- Check with the Ministry of Transportation, before you start driving, to ensure that everything went through properly
What does it mean when I receive a ticket (Part I offence) with a court date written on the bottom of my ticket but no fine amount?
When there is no fine amount written on the ticket, you must appear in court on the date and time assigned. Failure to attend could result in a trial being re-scheduled without your presence or a conviction being registered. You should always follow the instructions on the ticket for the option you wish to make, and act promptly. If you don’t answer the ticket in the time allowed, and it relates to a charge under the Highway Traffic Act, your driver’s license can be suspended.
Why are there two amounts on my ticket?
The set fine and the total payable appearing on the bottom of every ticket are two different amounts. The set fine is the regulated amount for the offence and the total payable amount includes a Victim Fine Surcharge. This surcharge is imposed by the Provincial government and is added to every fine given under the Provincial Offences Act.
How do I file an appeal of the Court decision?
You must file an appeal within 30 days of the conviction date. The fine must be paid in full or if not, an application to file an appeal without paying the fine must be completed. If the time to file the appeal has expired (30 days from date of conviction), you must also complete and file an Application for Extension of Time to Appeal form.
NOTICE – Regarding Part I and II Appeal Matters:
Effective December 1, 2008 Provincial Offences Act (POA) Part III appeals must be filed with the:
- Provincially administered Ontario Court of Justice, if the trial was presided over by a Justice of the Peace.
- The Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) if the trail was presided over by a Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ).
Appeal forms and information can be obtained at either the POA or OCJ offices. Fine payments will ONLY be accepted at the POA office and requests for transcripts MUST be made at the POA Office. PLEASE NOTE: These changes do not affect processes that deal with the Ontario Court of Appeal.
How can I reopen my matter?
If you are convicted of an offence without a hearing you can file a reopening application. A Justice of the Peace can strike out your conviction if he or she is satisfied by your sworn affidavit that you were unable to attend the hearing or a meeting with the prosecutor, where applicable, through no fault of your own, or that a document relating to the offence was not delivered. The conviction can be struck out when applicable. You must make your application within fifteen (15) days of becoming aware of the conviction at the POA Office.
Where can I receive more information on the Court process?
The Ministry of the Attorney General has prepared a Guide for Defendants in Provincial Offences Cases. This guide provides defendants with general information about the court process for provincial offences cases. It does not cover every circumstance that might arise in all cases.
Contact the Provincial Offenses Administration Office
County of Huron
1 Courthouse Square
Goderich, ON
N7A 1M2
Phone: 519.524.8394
Toll Free: 1.888.524.2044
Fax: 519.524.2044
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.