Processing a Property Standards / By-Law Complaint

Citizen concerns and complaints relating to matters of property standards and municipal by-law enforcement should be made at the By-Law Enforcement Department in person, by telephone, by mail or by email, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The Township Enforcement Officer performs enforcement-related duties from Monday through Friday, excluding holidays 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

For parking and noise complaints and other vital services relating to matters of an urgent nature after hours, on weekends or during holidays you may contact the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) at 1-888-310-1122.

For Animal Control and Wildlife Complaints / Inquiries please contact the Guelph-Humane Society by phone at: 519-824-3091 or by email at: info@guelphhumane.ca.

If you would like to submit your query or concern in writing, you may do so by regular mail to the address below or by sending an email. Emails received after regular business hours will be responded to on the next business day.

The Township of Guelph/Eramosa's goal is to ensure that there is adherence to Township by-laws and subsequent compliance with Property Standards Orders.

Once a concern/complaint is received, the steps noted below are taken to resolve the matter.

  • For Enforcement to take any action relating to a citizen complaint, the complainant must first provide his/her name, address and telephone number using the Township's prescribed complaint form; Anonymous complaints are not accepted. See the Township By-Law Complaint policy COR-0221 for details about privacy protection.

  • Information received from a properly identified complainant is first entered into the computer tracking system and assigned a case number.The complainant is then emailed a confirmation advising of the assigned computer tracking system service number; this number should be referred to when interacting with the By-Law Department regarding the complaint.

  • A By-Law Enforcement & Property Standards Officer is assigned to the case within 3-5 business days once a complaint is received at the Office

  • A Property Standards Officer attends at the alleged offender/property owner (generally within two weeks of the date of the complaint submission) to determine whether or not the matter of the complaint constitutes a contravention of Township's by-laws.

  • If the matter relates to a vital service (e.g., heating, hot water, electricity, open pool gate) and is determined to be of an urgent nature, a Property Standards Officer would be dispatched and prioritized to be completed as soon as possible or on the next business day after the complaint is submitted to conduct an investigation and ascertain if there is a contravention of a Township By-law.

  • If it is determined that a by-law has been violated, the Officer prepares a Property Standards Inspection Report and issues an Order to Comply.

  • The Property Standards Inspection Order is sent to the alleged offender/property owner(s) and contains:

    • the contact (name and number) information of the Property Standards Officer

    • the date the inspection was conducted

    • the list of violations or deficiencies

    • a description of what must be done to correct the violations/deficiencies and the number of days given to effect compliance.

  • The alleged offender/property owner is generally given between 14 to 30 days to comply with the Order depending on the severity and the amount of work required to comply with such order.
     

  • The offender/property owner holding the Order To Comply can either:
  1. Comply with the Order; or
  2. Fail to comply with the Order; or
  3. Appeal the Order to the Property Standards Committee.

  • In accordance with the completion time(s) set out in the Order, when compliance is effected, the offender/property owner must notify the Property Standards Officer.

  • Following notification of completion, the Property Standards Officer will re-inspect the property to ensure all work was completed as required.

  • When the Officer confirms that all work has been completed in accordance with the Order, the file is updated and then closed on the computer tracking system.

  • If all work under the Order To Comply has not be satisfactorily completed by the due date(s) and the Order has not been appealed within the Appeal period, it will be considered that the offender/property owner failed to comply, the Order will be deemed confirmed and no further appeal will be allowed.

  • Once an Order To Comply is deemed confirmed and where the offender/property owner makes no attempt to correct the deficiencies, the Township may take legal action against an offender/property owner through the Court.

    • A conviction of an individual carries a maximum fine of $25,000 for a first offence and $50,000 for each subsequent offence.

    • A conviction of a corporation carries a maximum fine of $50,000 for a first offence and $100,000 for each subsequent offence.

  • The offender/property owner may appeal the Order To Comply, within the designated Appeal period, to the Property Standards Committee.

  • The Committee may rescind, amend or confirm the Order or may extend the time to complete the work.

  • An offender/property owner may appeal the decision of the Property Standards Committee to a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice.

  • If such an Appeal is made, the offender/property owner must notify the Township's Clerk’s Office of the Appeal action.

  • An Appeal may be filed with the Court within fourteen (14) days after the Decision is issued.

  • The Court may rescind, amend or confirm the Order.

  • A Court Order becomes final and binding.

Contact Us

By-law Enforcement
Township of Guelph/Eramosa
8348 Wellington Rd 124 P.O. Box 700
Rockwood, ON N0B 2K0

Email: bylaw@get.on.ca
Phone: 519-856-9596 Ext: 121