Provincial Offences Act Matters in the Ontario Court of Justice

1. Introduction

Ontario Court of Justice Provincial Offence Act proceedings will be heard in-person, by remote technology (video or telephone) or a combination of in-person and remote technology.

Hearings, including trial and non-trial proceedings (guilty pleas, withdrawals, judgment delivery, first appearances, and adjournments) may proceed in-person or by electronic method (video or audio conference).

Contact information for all Provincial Offences courts is available online at Provincial Offences Court locations.

Please continue to check the Ontario Court of Justice website for updates to this Notice.

For further assistance with Provincial Offence Act proceedings you may wish to consult the Guide for Defendants in Provincial Offences Cases and seek legal advice.

2. Application

This Notice applies to all Provincial Offences Act matters before the Ontario Court of Justice.

This Notice applies to all parties and participants in Provincial Offences Act proceedings, including prosecutors, defence representatives, defendants and witnesses.

3. Media and public access to proceedings

The Notice Regarding Public and Media Access to Ontario Court of Justice Proceedings applies to Provincial Offences Act proceedings. The public, including the media, may request access to proceedings held by electronic method from the court office.

4. Trials for Part I and Part II offences (tickets and parking tickets)

If you requested a trial, your notice of trial will indicate either in-person appearance by having a court address or appearance by electronic method (video) by having Zoom information. If your notice provides for in-person appearance you may contact the court office to request to appear by video. If your notice provides for a trial by video you may contact the court office to request to appear in-person.

If you appear by video the justice of the of the peace may order that you appear in person. Section 83.1(4) of the Provincial Offences Act permits the presiding judicial officer to order a participant to appear in-person.

5. Early resolution

Early resolution under s. 5.1(8) of the Provincial Offences Act is only available in some jurisdictions across the province where the Offence Notice (ticket) indicates the option to request an early resolution meeting with the prosecutor. The decision to offer this early resolution is a decision made by the municipalities.

Your notice of early resolution meeting will indicate your option(s) regarding how you may attend court. If you cannot attend by that method, please contact the Provincial Offences courthouse. Early resolution guilty pleas pursuant to s. 5.1(8) of the Provincial Offences Act, where available, may proceed in-person, by video or by audio.

6. Part III matters (you received a summons and not a ticket)

Your summons will include information about where to appear in person (courthouse address and courtroom number). It may also include information about how to appear by video (Zoom).

If you appear by video the justice of the of the peace may order that you appear in person. Section 83.1(4) of the Provincial Offences Act permits the presiding judicial officer to order a participant to appear in-person.

7. Provincial Offences Act appeals

Provincial Offence Act appeals may be held in-person or by electronic method (e.g. video).

If your appeal was adjourned, you will be informed of the new date. You may also contact the courthouse where the appeal was scheduled to be heard if you wish an update on the status of the appeal.

Your notice of your new date of appeal will be sent to your last known address. You should update your address with the courthouse by contacting the courthouse where your appeal is scheduled to be heard.

Appeals to a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice may be filed by attending the courthouse in-person or you may do so by emailing your Notice of Appeal to the appropriate courthouse.

For a list of courthouse email addresses see: Provincial Offences Court locations.

More information about Provincial Offences Act appeals is available in the Guide to Appeals in Provincial Offences Cases.

8. Judicial pre-trials

Judicial pre-trials may be held by electronic method (by audio or video conference) or in-person. The decision with respect to the technology used (audio or video) is made locally, taking into consideration the availability of the technology at the court location.

Cases subject to judicial pre-trials will be determined by local protocol. Parties will be notified of the date and time of the judicial pre-trial and the information for attending the audio or video conference or in person judicial pre-trial.

9. Young persons

Provincial Offences Act matters where the defendant is a young person (individual under 16 years of age) are scheduled to be heard in a provincially-administered Ontario Court of Justice. As a result, these matters will be dealt with consistent with matters in criminal court.

Up to date information about cases in criminal court, which applies to Provincial Offences Act young person matters, is available on the Ontario Court of Justice website.

If you need to update your address with the court, or need information about a specific case, please contact the courthouse where the matter is scheduled to be heard. A listing of all provincially-administered court addresses are available here: Ontario court locations, service hours and contacts.

10. Electronic signatures

The Ontario Court of Justice will accept electronically signed documents where a signature is required. An electronic signature consists of electronic information that identifies the signatory and the date and place of signing. For example, you may type your name as your signature.