NO PLACE TO HIDE NOW
Push on to track unpaid fines
The city department that ferrets out unpaid fines for such provincial offences as speeding, illegal parking and public drunkenness had such an “exceptional year” in 2016 that local municipalities shared $2 million.
That’s $400,000 more in net profit for the Provincial Offences Division than the previous year. Manager Andrew Daher attributes the 25 per cent increase to ramped up efforts by staff to aggressively pursue people with thousands of dollars worth of delinquent fines, and new legislation that expands the kinds of outstanding fines that trigger people being refused driver’s licences and plates until they pay up.
“We just had a fantastic year,” said Daher, whose 2016 annual report will be headed to city council June 19.
The net profit — after expenses — is shared among Windsor and Essex County towns based on the total assessed value of properties in each municipality. That means Windsor received more than $1 million, or 52 per cent of the total.
“The more we collect, the less of a burden it is on the Windsor taxpayer because this goes towards the operating budget,” Daher explained.
He said there is still $42 million in unpaid fines owed by people in Windsor and Essex County, and $1.6 billion across the province.
Much of that $42 million is tough to find. The majority of unpaid fines have been outstanding for a decade or more. Some are owed by corporations that are no longer in business, individuals who can’t be found, individuals who have died or people living out of the country. Even when you find them, some people may be unemployed and unable to pay, Daher said, adding payment plans can be arranged.
To collect unpaid fines, the division can garnish wages, add fines to property taxes or place a writ of seizure on the person’s property. It can also use collection agencies, which provide the division with 100 per cent of what’s owed plus charge the debtor a percentage on top.
The majority of fines are for Highway Traffic Act infractions, such as speeding, distracted driving and having no insurance. But they can also come from charges laid by such provincial ministries as labour, transportation and environment.
“It’s a multitude of fines,” Daher said.
The Provincial Offences Division, part of the city’s legal department, became a city operation when the provincial government downloaded it in 2001. In addition to collecting fines, the department also runs three provincial offences courts where justices of the peace hear non-criminal cases in the Westcourt Building at 251 Goyeau St. Last year, there were 28,856 provincial offences charges laid locally.
Before expenses, the division took in $6.3 million in revenue last year, including provincial fines paid on time.
“There is room (to collect even more) because there’s $42 million out there,” Daher said. “I don’t think this year we’re going to increase it $400,000 again, but we’re going in the right direction.”
There is room (to collect even more) because there’s $42 million out there. I don’t think this year we’re going to increase it $400,000 again, but we’re going in the right direction.