Ministry of Finance

Municipalities continue to require long-term, stable, and predictable infrastructure funding. To support this, we believe the case remains strong for a redistribution of 1% of the HST and/or income tax revenues, as outlined in the previous staff report.

Where we’re at

Downloading of Provincial Offences Act (POA) fines

Municipalities continue to face significant challenges in recovering defaulted Provincial Offences Act (POA) fines. One of the key barriers is the current limitation on adding unpaid POA fines to the property tax roll when a property has multiple owners. This restriction prevents effective collection and leaves municipalities with large amounts of uncollectible fines. The ongoing concerns and impacts of this issue are outlined below, and further details are provided in a July 9, 2024, letter from the Ontario Municipal Tax and Revenue Association (OMTRA).

441.1 Amendments: 

Provincial Offences Act fines in default continue to be a significant challenge for municipalities across the province, including Norfolk County. Changes to legislation (particularly under section 441.1 of the Municipal Act) will have a significant impact on recovering these otherwise uncollectible amounts, which, once collected, would provide municipalities with additional financial resources to address other key priorities, including affordable housing initiatives and infrastructure reinvestment. Norfolk County believes that amendments as outlined by OMTRA in a July 9, 2024, letter would assist in achieving the desired outcomes of enhanced collections while ensuring those found guilty of an offence are held responsible.

Our ask

Norfolk County is requesting that the Province amend the Municipal Act—specifically section 441.1—to allow municipalities to add defaulted Provincial Offences Act fines to the property tax roll regardless of the number of owners listed on the property. Providing this authority would significantly improve municipal collection efforts, ensure that individuals found guilty of offences are held accountable, and enable municipalities to recover funds that can be reinvested into critical priorities such as housing, infrastructure, and community safety. We further ask that the Province work with municipalities and organizations such as OMTRA to advance these legislative changes.