Hastings County CAO Jim Pine addressing county council April 27, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Belleville, Quinte West and Hastings County are faced with millions of dollars in unpaid provincial offences fines, but there’s help coming next week.
The unpaid bill sits at $2.68 million and, even with collectors on hand, the county has not been able to collect the money owned through the provincial offences court.
Most of these are traffic fines, including for snow machines.
Hastings County CEO Jim Pine says new provincial legislation taking effect Monday May 1 reaches back seven years, catching offenders when they try to renew their licence plate stickers.
Hastings County POA has 3,300 outstanding fines on its list.
Pine says staff will be monitoring the situation and he expects to see some money coming in by the end of six months.
Fines can be paid right at the desk at Service Ontario or an offender can go back to the provincial offences court and seek a payment schedule.
In the past, a driver could lose the driving license for a certain length of time but would not lose the licence plate sticker.
