Contact and FAQs
Q. How do I reach a By-Law Officer?
A. To reach our By-Law Department, please call the municipal office (7 days a week, 24 hours a day) at (705) 342-5252. Monday to Friday during office hours, you will reach our office staff. They will handle your call and direct it to the by-law department. After-hours is handled by an external answering service and they will direct the information they collect to the on-call by-law officer.
Q. Will the By-Law officer attend or respond to my call?
A. The response will depend on the nature, urgency and timing of the call. For example, a phone call about a lost dog will not result in an officer going to look for a dog. The by-law officer will take the caller information about a lost dog (i.e type of dog, where it was lost, owner information) and if we locate the animal through another call about a dog running at large, we will call the owner. A call about a vicious dog or a dog bite will result in a response as soon as possible. Late night calls about loud parties will usually be responded to with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police.
Q. What type of complaints do By-Law Officers deal with or respond to ?
A. The most frequent responses are to illegally parked vehicles at the municipal office, parks, boat launches and parking on roads in the winter season impeding snowplowing, blocked roadways, dogs running at large, property standards, zoning by-law infractions and noise complaints.
Q. I don't want my neighbor to know I complained, how is this handled?
A. Our by-law officer or office staff will record who has made the complaint, the nature of it, date and time and contact information. This information may be required for several reasons, you may want a response to your call or we may need to contact you if the by-law infraction were to go to court. Your call is always treated in confidence without your identity being disclosed, unless you approve. Our experience shows that over 95% of complaints are resolved to everyone’s satisfaction without litigation. When a complaint is received, it is investigated and if it is determined to be valid, then a notice is sent to the offending party explaining any infractions and a timeline given for correction and explaining the persons rights of appeal. Failure to respond can result in charges and litigation. When an invalid complaint is received, the by-law officer will contact the caller and explain why the complaint is not valid. If you are not satisfied with the explanation, you can ask speak to the CAO and or Council.
Q. How do I avoid getting into trouble with municipal by-laws?
A. Watch for and obey municipal signs and notices. Don't let your pets (dogs, cats, etc.) run loose on the roads, sidewalks or other peoples property. Above all, apply common sense and be a good neighbour, respect your neighbour’s property and rights to enjoy their property. If you have any questions, please contact the Municipal office (705) 342-5252. For a list of the common by-laws that we most frequently use please visit the By-laws page.