Submit a By-law Complaint

How to Report a By-law Complaint

All by-law complaints must be submitted in hardcopy or online portal (coming soon), except in cases involving immediate safety concerns (e.g. unsecured swimming pools, aggressive or dangerous animals, hazards that may pose an immediate risk to public safety).

We do not accept anonymous complaints.

Submission Options

• Online: Submit a complaint through Lakeshore's By-law Complaint Portal (coming soon), where you can also track the status of your submission.
• In person: Complete and submit a printed By-law Complaint Form available at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre.

Your cooperation helps maintain a safe, healthy, and respectful community for all residents.

We monitor complaints during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM).

If your complaint is urgent and is an immediate health and safety concern, please call (519-728-2700) instead of using the online form.

Investigation and Enforcement Process

Lakeshore investigates possible by-law violations in a fair, consistent way. Our process is guided by Ontario legislation, including the Municipal Act, 2001, and—depending on the issue—other laws such as the Provincial Offences Act, Building Code Act, and Fire Protection and Prevention Act.

Below is an overview of what typically happens after a concern is reported.

1) Complaint is received

A resident reports a possible by-law issue (online or in person).

When a complaint is received, we record details such as:

• the address or location
• the type of concern
• date/time (especially important for issues like noise)
• photos or other helpful information (if available)
• contact information of the complainant (anonymous complaints are note accepted)

What to expect: Not every complaint results in immediate action. Some files are prioritized based on urgency, safety, and available information.

2) The complaint is reviewed

Lakeshore staff review the report to:

• confirm the issue falls under municipal by-laws and Lakeshore’s authority
• identify the applicable by-law(s)
• determine priority

Some concerns may be referred to the appropriate agency (for example police, fire services, public health, conservation authorities, or other local regulators), depending on the situation.

3) An investigation begins

By-law investigations may include:

• reviewing relevant by-laws and any previous history at the location
• attending the site to observe conditions (sometimes more than once and at different times)
• collecting evidence (notes, measurements, photos, statements, records)
• determining who is responsible (this may be the property owner, occupant, or business operator, depending on the by-law)

Why this matters: By-law Officers must confirm facts and follow due process. A complaint alone is not always enough to prove a violation.

4) Voluntary compliance is usually the first step

In many cases, Lakeshore’s first approach is to work toward compliance before enforcement actions are taken (unless the concern is urgent or severe).

This may include:

• providing information or education about the by-law or by-laws
• issuing a warning or request to correct the issue
• setting a reasonable deadline to comply, where appropriate

5) Formal notice or order (when required)

If the issue continues, or if the by-law/legal framework requires it, Lakeshore may issue a formal notice or order.

This typically outlines:

• what the violation is
• what must be done to comply
• the deadline to correct it
• what may happen if the issue is not resolved (for example, fines, court, or other authorized actions)

Some matters may include an appeal or review process, depending on the type of order and applicable law.

6) Follow-up inspection

After the deadline (or after a reasonable time has passed), an Officer may return to confirm whether the issue has been resolved.

• If compliant: the file is generally closed (and documentation is kept on record)
• If not compliant: the matter may move to enforcement

7) Enforcement actions (if needed)

If voluntary compliance is not achieved, Lakeshore may take enforcement action, depending on the by-law and circumstances. This can include one or more of the following:

A) Tickets or fines (Provincial Offences Act)

• An Officer may issue a ticket (set fine) or lay a charge requiring a court appearance.
• This is common for issues such as parking, noise, property standards, and other by-law offences.

B) Court process (if charges are laid)

• If charges are laid, the matter proceeds through Ontario’s Provincial Offences Court process.
• Outcomes can include fines and/or court orders, depending on the case.

C) Remedial action (where authorized)

• For some by-laws, if a person fails to comply, the Municipality may be able to arrange corrective work (e.g., clean-up) and recover costs as permitted by law (which may include adding costs to the tax roll in certain circumstances).

9) File closure and follow-up

A file is closed when:

• compliance is achieved, or
• enforcement action has concluded

Repeat issues may result in escalated enforcement, consistent with Lakeshore policies and the seriousness of the situation.

The complainant may receive an update about the status of their complaint, if they have opted in for additional communications.