Municipal By-Law Compliance Team

Getting a Penalty Notice (Ticket)

You can pay a non-parking Penalty Notice here or a Parking Penalty Notice here.

Penalty notices are issued when there is a violation of a municipal by-law. A Penalty Notice can be served:

• In person
• By mail
• By email

Under the APS program, Municipal Law Enforcement Officers will issue a Penalty Notice to a vehicle or person that is in contravention of a by-law.

If you receive a Penalty Notice you have two options:

1. Voluntarily pay the Penalty Notice within fifteen (15) days for parking violations and thirty (30) days for non-parking by-law violations
2. Dispute the issued Penalty Notice with a Screening Officer. You have fifteen (15) days for parking offences and thirty (30) days for non-parking offences from the date of issue to schedule a screening

If you would like to dispute your Penalty Notice, or would like an explanation of why you received it, please call (519) 623-1340 ext. 7926 to speak to a Screening Officer or submit a request online.

What happens if I do not respond to an issued Penalty Notice?

If you do not respond to a Penalty Notice by the due date (either by paying the penalty amount or scheduling a screening), you waive your right to review and must pay the penalty.

Failure to respond to a Penalty Notice may also result in additional administrative fees being applied, specifically:

• After thirty (30) days, a $50.00 late payment fee
• a $25.00 screening no-show fee when failing to appear at a scheduled screening
• a $50.00 no-show fee for failing to appear at a scheduled hearing.

Administrative fees are used to offset the costs of processing penalties.

Screening Officer Review

Screening Review meetings take place on pre-determined dates as outlined in the online scheduler. Screening appointments are conducted virtually, over the phone, or via email and occur between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays). Each Penalty Notice review will be afforded ten (10) to fifteen (15) minute appointment. Penalty Notice screenings cannot be scheduled for the same day that a penalty notice is received.

Please note:

• Failing to appear for a scheduled Screening will result in the Penalty Notice being affirmed and the addition of a $25.00 administrative non-appearance fee will be added to the Penalty Notice.
• The City does not provide language interpreters, should you require one, you will be responsible for providing your own.
• If you attend a screening review and are not the registered owner you must complete the Authorization to Act as an Agent form, signed by the registered owner.
• Alternate formats, communication supports and accommodations are available.

For more information, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at accessibility@cambridge.ca or (519) 623-1340 Ext. 4292.

Screening Review Procedure

The Screening Officer will review all the documents and evidence before making a decision and may:

1. Cancel the penalty notice, including any administrative fees;
2. Confirm the penalty notice, including any administrative fees;
3. Reduce the amount owed, including any administrative fees; and
4. Extend time for payment of the penalty notice, including any administrative fees.

The Screening Officer will discuss their decision with you at the end of their review or provide the decision by mail or email.

Failure to pay the amount set out in the screening decision within fifteen (15) days of the due date will be subject to additional administrative fees.

If you are not satisfied with the Screening Review decision, you may request a Hearing Review at the conclusion of the Screening Review.

Hearing Officer Review

The Hearing Officer review may take place virtually or in person at City Hall. The decision of the Hearing Officer is final and cannot be appealed.

Please bring to the Hearing Officer Review legible copies of all applicable documentation or evidence to be reviewed. 

Please note:

• Failure to pay the amount set out in the screening decision within fifteen (15) days of the due date will be subject to additional administrative fees.
• The City does not provide language interpreters, should you require one, you will be responsible for providing your own.
• If you fail to appear on the date and time of your Hearing Officer Review, an administrative fee of $50.00 will be applied.
• Please arrive five (5) to ten (10) minutes prior to your scheduled hearing time. You will be placed in a virtual waiting room until your matter is called. Please be prepared for the hearing review process, including wait times, to take up to two (2) hours.

The Hearing Review will be held before a Hearing Officer. The City will be asked to present its case first, after which the appellant may present any evidence. Witnesses will be required to provide evidence under oath or to affirm their evidence.

Hearing Review Procedure

Below is the general steps taken at a Hearing Review:

1. Meeting called to order and the Hearing Officer shares opening remarks;
2. The Hearing Officer will ask the accused what they would like reviewed;
3. The City will present information pertaining to the file and be able to call witnesses if required;
• The Accused and Hearing Officer will have an opportunity to ask questions of any witnesses. 
4. The Accused will present information pertaining to the file and be able to call witnesses if required;
   • The City and the Hearing Officer will have an opportunity to ask questions of any witnesses.
5. Closing Statements

The Hearing Officer will review all the documents and evidence before making a decision and may:

1. Cancel the penalty notice, including any administrative fees;
2. Confirm the penalty notice, including any administrative fees;
3. Modify the amount owed, including any administrative fees; and
4. Extend time for payment of the penalty notice, including any administrative fees

Certificate of Compliance

Property Standards Order

When contraventions of the Property Standards By-law are found within a building, a Property Standards Officer may issue a Property Standards Order pursuant to the Ontario Building Code which requires the property owner to remedy the violations by a set expiration date.

Orders will contain:

• The municipal address or legal description of the property
• Reasonable particulars to remediate contraventions
• Time for complying with the terms and condition of the order
• Final date for giving notice of appeal from the order

Property Standards Orders that are not appealed within fourteen (14) days after being served are deemed confirmed.

Appealing a Property Standards Order

If a property owner has received a Property Standards Order and wishes to appeal it, a completed Notice of Appeal and a copy of the Order must be submitted by the final appeal date as outlined in the issued Order to the General Appeals Committee either by registered mail or in-person to City Hall located at 50 Dickson Street, Cambridge, Ontario.

Appeals received after the final appeal date will not be processed nor heard by the General Appeals Committee.

A non-refundable administration fee for appeals are set out in the City of Cambridge rate review fee schedule.

General Appeals Committee

The General Appeals Committee is a quasi-judicial body consisting of City residents who review appeals of issued Property Standards orders. Residents who have been served with a Property Standards Order may appeal it to the General Appeals Committee within fourteen (14) days after being served. 

The General Appeals Commitee may do the following upon reviewing an issued Property Standards Order:

1. Confirm
2. Modify
3. Rescind
4. Extend the time for complying

Reporting Graffiti on City Property

If you see graffiti on property in the City, we encourage you to report it by calling the Graffiti Busters Hotline at 1-855-TAG-FREE (824-3733).

When reporting an incident of graffiti, please provide as much information about the location as possible. City staff uses this information to contact the appropriate property owner or agency.

Snow Removal Assistance

In partnership with Community Support Connections (CSC) we offer:

• A free Snow Removal Assistance Program for up to 50 residences whose occupants are both physically and financially unable to clear snow from their sidewalk and/or driveway apron.
• A pay-for-service program. This program allows eligible residents to access full winter sidewalk and driveway snow services for a set fee. 

Contact CSC online or by calling (519) 772-8787 to learn more.

Pools and Hot Tubs

If you are installing a swimming pool or hot tub that is capable of holding more than thirty (30) inches of water, you must apply for a permit.

Swimming pools and hot tubs must:

• Be enclosed by a fence or contain a lockable cover for hot tubs
• Gates must be lockable
• No climbable objects around pool area
• Proper setbacks from all property lines
• Septic tank or tile bed must be setback 5.0 metres from pool/hot tub

For further information on requirements, please review the Zoning By-law and Fence By-law.

Report a Pool or Hot Tub without a permit or other concern

Fences

While a permit is not required to install a fence (excluding to enclose a pool, hot tub or excavation site), the Fence By-law regulates the height, location and types of fences permitted within the City, such as:

• Fences must be a minimum of 1.5 metres to a maximum of 2.4 metres in height
• Diagonal members of fence must be a minimum of 1.1 metres apart

Report a Fence concern

Fence By-law Amendment

If you would like to build or modify a fence that is not permitted by Fence By-law regulations, you must submit a Fence By-law Amendment application. All applications are then reviewed by City Council.

For more information regarding Fence By-law Amendment application, please contact the By-law Enforcement Department by phone at (519) 621-0740 ext. 7907 or by email at bylaw@cambridge.ca.