Pay or dispute your ticket

The Town of Newmarket uses the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) to process and adjudicate contraventions of its regulatory by-laws and provincial regulations, including parking, licensing, property standards, and animal control.

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(Note: This website portal is only for paying and disputing fines related to parking, licensing, property standards, and animal control). To pay for a speed camera ticket violation, please visit newmarket.ca/communitysafetycameras. 

For a list of bylaws and related fines issued under the AMPS please refer the fines section of the Administrative Monetary Penalty System By-law. 

Community Safety Camera Program - Speed Cameras 

The Town's new Automated Community Safety Camera Program which uses automated speed enforcement has launched. This program aims to curb speeding, alter driver behaviour and increase safety for the community. Through the use of automated speed enforcement technology, these cameras will ticket drivers speeding in select Community Safety Zones throughout the Town. 

Signage has been posted within the Community Safety Zones at least 90 days prior to the cameras being activated and ample notice will be provided to the community in various ways (social media, Council Meetings, local media, signage around Town and more). For more information, please visit the Community Safety Cameras Webpage.


Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS): 

1. What is AMPS?

AMPS is a municipally administered program that replaces the traditional Court system with a faster, more flexible and customer focused adjudication process for tickets. One of the main objectives of an AMPS program is to create a simple, accessible, fair and cost-effective system of dealing with contraventions of by-laws or provincial regulations.

The Town of Newmarket uses AMPS to administer tickets for contraventions of its regulatory by-laws and provincial regulations including parking, licensing, property standards and automated speed enforcement.

For more information view the Administrative Monetary Penalty System By-law and click through the below questions to understand the process. 

2. What to do when you are issued a ticket

You have two options when you are issued a ticket (also known as an Administrative Penalty).

You can:

1.     Pay your ticket

  • Pay online using one of these payment methods: Visa, MasterCard or American Express (debit is not accepted online)           
  • Pay in-person using credit, debit or cash at any Town of Newmarket Customer Service Centre (including kiosks) during regular business hours. 
  • Pay by mail* using a cheque or money order payable to:

Town of Newmarket – Customer Service
395 Mulock Drive
P.O. Box 328, STN Main
Newmarket, ON L3Y 4X7

*If paying by mail, you must be sure to leave enough time for delivery to avoid incurring additional fees.

2.     Dispute your ticket: Request a Screening Review to dispute your ticket. You have 30 days to do this from when the ticket was issued or deemed served (if mailed to you). 

  • Do it online! Click "Pay Ticket" or "Dispute Ticket"

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Requesting a Screening Review:

If you are disputing your ticket you must request a Screening Review. Click on the "Pay or Dispute Your Ticket" button above then go to the "Appeal Ticket" tab. You will need to explain your reasons(s) for disputing the ticket, provide your contact information, and indicate how you would like to be contacted (phone or email). Alternatively, you can fill out a paper form at the Town of Newmarket Customer Service Centre during regular business hours.

The Screening Review will be conducted:

  • By Email;
  • Over the phone; 
  • Virtually (Zoom); or
  • In-person* at the Municipal Offices

If you have a date and time scheduled for a Screening Review and you fail to attend (virtually, by phone, or in-person), your Administrative Penalty will be increased by $60.00. 

*Note: Requests for in-person Screening Reviews will only be considered to accommodate accessibility needs.  


3. Why you should act now

We recommend you act early to avoid additional administrative fees being added to your total amount payable. You may dispute your ticket within 30 days of the date of issue or deemed served date (if mailed to you) by requesting a Screening Review.  

*Early payment discount does not apply to Automated Speed Enforcement tickets.

If you don't act within 15 days, here's what will happen (Parking and other Municipal Bylaw Contraventions):

  • After 15 days: you will now owe the "Set Amount" (found on your ticket).
  • After 30 days: you can no longer dispute the ticket and will now owe the "Late Amount" plus $8.25 Licence Plate Search Fee (if applicable) because the Town will have to request the vehicle's Registered Owner information in order to send you a letter advising no action has been taken on the ticket.
  • After 45 days: Parking fines will be sent to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and they will require you pay your total amount payable to the Town in addition to any administrative fees that they may require you to pay before you can have your Ontario Vehicle Permit renewed. After 45 days, your total amount payable to the Ministry of Transportation will include: the "Late Amount" on ticket + $8.25 MTO Search Fee + $20 Plate Denial fee. Other municipal by-law fines will be applied to municipal taxes or sent to collections. 

If you don't act within 30 days of an Automated Speed Enforcement contravention, here's what will happen:

  • After 30 days: You can no longer dispute the ticket (unless you have extenuating circumstances). Fines will be sent to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and you will be required to pay your total amount payable to the Town in addition to any administrative fees that they may require you to pay including a $20 plate denial fee before you can have your Ontario Vehicle Permit renewed. Fines issued to out-of-province vehicles may be collected by other means available to the Town. 
  • For more information on Automated Speed Enforcement fines, visit the Community Safety Camera page.


Request an Extension of Time to Dispute

Are there extenuating circumstances making it challenging to pay or dispute your ticket on time? You may be eligible for an extension. You should first review the policy regarding the Extension of Time to Request a Screening Review or Hearing Review

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4. Knowing the fees you could incur

Under specific circumstances, additional fees are applied to the Administrative Penalty.  Additional fees may include:

  • $8.25 Search fee to retrieve the Registered Owner's information from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO)
  • $60 No-Show Fee if you fail to attend your confirmed Screening Review or Hearing Review appointment
  • $20 MTO late fee if no action was taken for more than 30 days and the total amount due is forwarded to the MTO (Note: additional administrative fees may be applied at the MTO office).
5. Preparing for your Screening Review

You have the option to request the Screening Review to be conducted by email, over the phone or in-person (*Note, requests for in-person screening reviews will only be considered to accommodate accessibility needs). No matter the format, you will have the opportunity to provide reasons as to why you are disputing your ticket with a Screening Officer.

Once you've submitted your Request to Dispute, a Screening Officer will contact you by your preferred communication method within 7 business days. Screening reviews take place during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Walk-in Screening Reviews are not permitted. 

Language interpreters are not provided by the Town and you are responsible for providing your own.

Have Someone Act on Your Behalf

You may have a representative join you for your Screening Review if you require assistance, such as a language interpreter.

However, if you have a Screening Review appointment and are not able to attend yourself you can send an Agent on your behalf. If you would like an Agent to attend the Screening Review on your behalf you must complete the Authorization to Act as an Agent Form below and submit it with your dispute. This must be signed by you, the registered owner.

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Evidence

Please bring or submit by email copies of any documents that may assist as evidence. This may include:

  • Photographs
  • Receipts
  • Condominium letter/lease
  • Letter/notice from developer
  • Accessible parking permit
  • Medical note
  • Death certificate

If you are in financial hardship and require additional time to pay, please bring or submit documents to support this claim. Please review the Town's Financial Hardship policy to understand if you qualify. Financial hardship documents may include:

  • Old Age Security
  • Canada Pension
  • Guaranteed Income Supplement
  • Disability Pension
  • Ontario Student Assistance Program
  • Any other form of social assistance

Screening Review procedure

The Screening Officer will review and consider any documents you submit before making a decision. During the Screening Review, the officer may:

  1. Cancel the Administrative Penalty, including any administrative fees
  2. Affirm the Administrative Penalty, including any administrative fees
  3. Vary the Administrative Penalty by:
    1. Reducing the Administrative Penalty to the early payment amount, and/or
    2. Extending time for payment of the Administrative Penalty, including any administrative fees

If you have a scheduled screening review and fail to attend (by phone, virtually, or in-person) at the scheduled date and time your Administrative Penalty will be increased by $60.

Screening decision and payment

The Screening Officer will issue you a written decision (provided by email or regular mail). Once a decision has been made, the decision letter will note if the ticket has been cancelled, affirmed, or varied. If the ticket is affirmed or varied the decision will outline how much you are required to pay and by what date.

If you are not satisfied with the Screening Decision you may request a Hearing Review.

6. Preparing for your Hearing Review

If you wish to have your ticket further reviewed, you must request a Hearing Review within 30 days of the Screening Decision. 

Hearing Reviews take place virtually over Zoom between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, and certain portions may be open to the public. Requests for in-person Hearing Reviews may be considered to accommodate accessibility needs.

You will receive an email or phone call a few weeks before your Hearing Review to notify you of the scheduled date and provide you with additional information related to your upcoming Hearing. Please note the Town does not provide translation services for Hearing Reviews; if you require a language interpreter you are responsible for retaining your own - this could be a friend, family member, or colleague.

You may have a representative join you for your Hearing Review if you require assistance, such as a language interpreter.

However, if you have a Hearing Review appointment and are not able to attend yourself you can send an Agent on your behalf. If you would like an Agent to attend the Hearing Review on your behalf you must complete the Authorization to Act as an Agent Form below and submit it with your dispute. This must be signed by you, the registered owner.

Opens to Authorization to Act as an Agent Form

Evidence

Please bring or submit by email any documents you intend to use as evidence related to the ticket. For example:

  • Photographs
  • Receipts
  • Condominium letter/lease
  • Notice or letter from developer
  • Accessible parking permit
  • Medical note
  • Death certificate

You may bring witnesses to the Hearing Review; however, this is not a requirement and the Town does not call its own witnesses.

You will receive an evidence package prior to your Hearing Review.

The Issuing Officer may be in attendance at the Hearing Review, or another representative (Officer, Supervisor, Manager) from the Town may present the evidence on their behalf. 

Hearing review procedure

Please connect to the Zoom meeting 10 minutes before your scheduled hearing time and wait until your matter is called. Like Provincial court, these are public hearings and others, in addition to by-law enforcement, may be present.

Your appointment will be held before a Hearing Officer. The Town will present its evidence first and then you will have an opportunity to present your own evidence and/or reasons for disputing the Administrative Penalty. The Hearing Officer will review both cases and consider any material submitted when making a decision. 

If you or your representative fails to appear on the date and time of your Hearing Review (either virtually, by phone or in-person) your Administrative Penalty will be increased by $60.

Hearing decision and payment

During a Hearing Review, the Hearing Officer may:

  1. Cancel the Penalty Notice (including Administrative Fees);
  2. Affirm the Penalty Notice (including Administrative Fees);
  3. Vary the Administrative Penalty by:
    1. Reducing the Administrative Penalty to the early payment amount; and/or
    2. Extending the time for payment of the Administrative Penalty (including Administrative Fees).

The Hearing Officer is not bound by the decision of the Screening Officer. The decision of the Hearing Officer is final as per s. 8 (5) of Ontario Regulation 333/07. 

If you fail to pay the amount set out in the hearing decision by the due date, additional administrative fees may be added and the Town may pursue appropriate means of collections.

Rescheduling or Cancelling a Hearing Review

You may request to reschedule a hearing review by providing notice via email or phone no later then 24 hours in advance of the hearing. Please note that only one (1) request to reschedule will be accepted. Once one (1) request to reschedule a hearing date has been received, your matter will be moved to the next available Hearing date and will not be rescheduled again. 

Contact:
[email protected] 
289-383-5631

Except in extenuating circumstances, a hearing review will not be rescheduled more than once. 

If you change your mind and decide to pay the Administrative Penalty, please contact us so that your hearing can be cancelled. Please include your ticket number, name and address. If you do not do this 24-hours prior to the hearing, your Administrative Penalty will be increased by $60.

7. Benefits of the administrative monetary penalty system

Under the previous system tickets were disputed in the Ontario Court of Justice. A municipality has limited opportunity to present a flexible alternative to settle these disputes.

AMPS moves disputes out of the court system and gives municipalities the ability to resolve tickets at a screening review. A person who disagrees with the decision of the screening officer can request a hearing before a hearing officer. 

This system is much more efficient, user friendly and less intimidating. AMPS maintains the fundamental principles of justice and due process. Under this system, most ticket escalations are resolved within 60 days – much faster than the previous, court-based system.

8. Complaint Process

If you have a complaint, you may register your complaint by contacting the Customer Service Centre at 905-895-5193, or file a complaint by completing the Complaint Submission Form and sending it to [email protected].

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The Town keeps the identity of every complainant confidential unless the complainant has agreed to be identified.

Please remember you must provide the following information when filing a complaint:

  • Complainant name, telephone number and email
  • Complaint location (address)
  • A satisfactory explanation of the complaint and details that would assist

Complaints will be investigated as soon as possible. Please review the Public Complaint Policy.