Joint Provincial Offenses Board

The Joint Provincial Offenses Board is a joint committee and local board.

It is responsible for providing administrative services, Court Support, Prosecution of Part I Offences, Enforcement and Collections.

Provincial Offences are non-criminal charges, primarily issued by the police, while the Justice of the Peace is responsible for the proceedings of provincial offence matters and the conduct of these proceedings before the Ontario Court of Justice. 

It ensures compliance with the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P. 33.

The Provincial Offences Act (POA) is a procedural law for administering and prosecuting provincial offences, including offences created under municipal by-law and minor federal offences designated as contraventions.

The POA provisions govern all aspects, from serving notices to a defendant to conducting trials. Provincial offences are non-criminal charges, primarily issued by the police, and include but are not limited to offences found in the following Acts: 

• Highway Traffic Act: offences such as speeding, careless driving, failure to wear a seatbelt assembly
• Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act: offences such as failing to surrender an insurance card or possessing an invalid insurance card
• Liquor Licence Act: offences such as being intoxicated in a public space, selling alcohol to a minor
• Trespass to Property Act: offences such as entering premises when entry is prohibited, failing to leave premises as directed to do so

Governance

The Joint Board is made up of:

• 2 representatives from the County of Hastings (Warden +1)
• 2 representatives from the City of Belleville
• 2 representatives from the City of Quinte West

As of June 11, 2025 its members are:

• County of Hastings
  • Warden Mullin
  • Deputy Warden Jenkins
  • Councillor Fitzgerald
• Belleville
  • Councillor Chatten
  • Councillor Enright-Miller
  • Councillor Brown, Alternate
• Quinte West
  • Jim Harrison, Mayor
  • David Clazie, CAO

Meetings

Meetings are held as required in Hastings County Council Chambers in the County of Hastings Courthouse and Administration Building at 235 Pinnacle St, Belleville, ON K8N 3A9 and on Zoom.

• Meetings
• Agendas
• Minutes

Work

Terms of Reference

The Parties have agreed to the County of Hastings being the Municipal Partner to effect the seamless transition of POA court administration (the host municipality) and to sharing the revenues on a municipal corporate basis agreed to amongst the partners.

The Parties agreed to the establishment of a Provincial Offences Act Joint Board for the geographical court service area of the County of Hastings with representation from the County of Hastings, the City of Belleville and the City of Quinte West.

The Joint Board will make recommendations to Hastings County Council with respect to the provision of the POA program. 

The composition of the Joint Board shall be as follows:

• Two representatives from the County of Hastings (Warden +1)
• Two representatives from the City of Belleville
• Two representatives from the City of Quinte West

Members from the Cities of Belleville and Quinte West are to be appointed for the term of their Councils.

The County agrees to report to the Joint Board within 90 days following the fiscal year end on December 31^st as to estimated revenues and expenses for the coming year, to consider any recommendations made by the Joint Board and that in the event the Parties cannot agree on the estimated costs of operation, recommend proceeding to dispute resolution commencing the process according to section 9 of the Inter-municipal Service Agreement.

The County agrees to consult with the affected Partners and advise when significant change to a service level is proposed and further, that should a dispute arise resulting from the proposed change, agrees that the change will not proceed until the dispute resolution process has reached conclusion.

All monies received by the County in respect of fines, costs and surcharges pursuant to this agreement are to be separately and clearly identified in the financial records of the County and are subject to an annual audit for the review of the Joint Board.  The year-end audit will determine actuals and any necessary adjustments.

The apportionment of costs and revenue cost sharing arrangement will be reviewed on an annual basis by the POA Joint Board.

To receive the statistical reports prepared under section 10.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding.

To oversee the complaints procedure established under section 5.3.9 of the    Memorandum of Understanding.

Source

On June 19th, 2000, the Corporation of the County of Hastings accepted the transfer and responsibility of administrative duties from the Province of Ontario, Ministry of the Attorney General. This included Part I prosecution of the Provincial Offences Act.

This transfer was part of the Province’s strategy to realign provincial and municipal roles in the delivery of public services. An additional transfer of service took place on January 4, 2022, when the Corporation of the County of Hastings accepted the responsibility of prosecution of Part III matters of the Provincial Offences Act.