West Lincoln By-law Officer approaching parked vehicle

Township By-law Enforcement Officers investigate all reports of concern about by-law violations.

  • Mandate: achieve compliance with Township by-laws through education, mediation, and, as necessary, enforcement and prosecution.
  • Primary goals: ensuring public safety and maintaining community standards that contribute to improving West Lincoln’s quality of life.

Besides parking enforcement, the Township of West Lincoln’s by-law division operates on a report basis. When a report of concern is received, it is investigated and appropriate action is taken. Should a health and safety issue arise and/or if any by-law violation is apparent to an officer, the department may pursue this issue without a report. The Township closes the file if no violation is found.

Reporting a concern

If you have a by-law concern you believe the Township may be able to resolve, please complete our online Report a Concern form. You may also print and complete a hardcopy of the form and deliver/mail it to the Township.

Township Administration
318 Canborough Street
PO Box 400
Smithville, ON L0R2A0

Reports of concern must be submitted in writing. If the Township decides not to proceed with legal action regarding a complaint, you may still pursue other legal options. The Township reserves the right to refuse frivolous and vexatious reports of concern where there is an ongoing civil neighbour dispute.

Reporting concerns outside of Township jurisdiction:

  • Animal and Wildlife concerns: investigated by Niagara SPCA and Humane Society 1-888-222-0568

Frequently asked questions

Can I submit an anonymous by-law complaint?

Anonymous reports of concern are not accepted in the Township of West Lincoln. The Township will make every effort to protect your anonymity. Should a concern result in legal action by the Township, you may be required to give evidence and/or appear in court.

The Township reserves the right to refuse frivolous and vexatious reports of concern where there is an ongoing civil neighbour dispute.

How does the Township respond to reports of concern?

The Township will investigate your complaint as soon as possible. In most cases, By-law Enforcement Officers obtain voluntary compliance with Township by-laws; however, some require additional enforcement. When an individual does not voluntarily comply, The Township will follow the by-law enforcement process, and in some cases this may take additional time. We appreciate your patience.

In most cases, the Township will not follow up or provide updates to the individual who submitted the report a concern.

What is AMPS? (Administrative Monetary Penalty System)

The Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) is an improved way to pay and dispute Penalty Notices (tickets) for parking and by-law violations. The process allows the Township of West Lincoln to manage disputes regarding parking and non-parking Penalty Notices as an alternative to the Provincial Courts.

What do I do after I receive a Penalty Notice?

If you receive a Penalty Notice you have two options:

  1. Pay within fifteen (15) days of the Penalty Notice being issued. To find out more about payment options please refer to the back of the Penalty Notice.
  2. Appeal the Penalty Notice. To request a Screening Review, the individual must request in writing, in person, by mail, or online. Once a Screening Request form is submitted a Screening Review can be scheduled. The Screening Review is conducted in person or by writing by a Screening Officer, who has the authority to Affirm, Amend, Rescind, or Extend time for payment.

If you request a Screening Review and fail to appear or remain at your scheduled In-Person Screening until your matter has been determined by the Screening Officer, you will be deemed to have abandoned your request for a Screening, the Administrative Penalty will be affirmed, and you will be liable for an additional non-appearance fee as per the AMPS By-Law.

Important notice:

Failure to act on a Penalty Notice will result in additional administrative fees owing to the Township of West Lincoln.

  • If it is a Parking Penalty Notice, it may also result in the denial of your Ontario License plate renewal and additional costs owing to the Province of Ontario.
  • For all other Penalty Notices, it may be collected in the same manner as municipal taxes and/or sent to collections.

Payment must be received on or by the applicable due date.

By-law Enforcement Process

  1. The individual submits their concern.
  2. The By-law Enforcement Department receives the concern, assigns a number, and opens a file for the Officer to investigate.
  3. The Officer conducts the first inspection, and identifies the violation(s). If no violations are found, the file is closed without further incident.
  4. The Officer prepares an Order to Comply, which is served to the registered property owner(s).
  5. The Officer re-inspects for compliance when the compliance date has expired. If the violations have been rectified to meet the standards of the applicable by-law, the Officer will close the file without further incident.
  6. Depending on the violation and severity of the file, the Officer may proceed with the following options:
    • The Township may carry out the remedial measures at the expense of the registered property owner(s).
    • The Township may lay charges, and/or issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMPS).