Scheduling guidelines for bylaw adjudication hearings
The provincial Ministry of Attorney General seeks local government feedback on draft scheduling guidelines for hearings under the Bylaw Adjudication Program. Local governments are invited to submit comments on the scheduling guidelines by June 1, 2025. Comments or questions may be emailed to the Province.
The Bylaw Adjudication Program (Program) provides BC local governments with an alternative out-of-court approach to adjudicating bylaw infractions. The goal of the Program is to provide simple, fair, cost-effective, timely and accessible adjudications of disputed bylaw notices.
Program-users, including local governments and adjudicators, have raised a number of issues with the Program. In August 2024, Ministry of Attorney General conducted a survey of local governments to better understand the issues and explore options for improvement and modernization. Arising from feedback, Ministry of Attorney General has developed draft scheduling guidelines.
Bylaw Hearing Proposed Scheduling Framework
| Legend | Example | Approximate Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Parking Tickets | 20 minutes (1 ticket) + additional 10 minutes for each additional ticket for the same matter |
| Standard | Default | 30 minutes (1 ticket) + additional 10 minutes for each additional ticket for the same matter |
| Complex | Land UseBuilding Permits Zoning Short term rental/tourist accommodation Animal control Business licence | 1 hour + additional 10 minutes for each additional ticket for the same matter |
| Exceptional | Matters represented by legal counsel, flagged by LG as exceptionally complex. The number of pages per evidence package will be considered. | 1.5 hours + additional time for each additional ticket for the same matter determined on a case-by-case basis |
| Half day | 3.5 hours | 3 hours of hearing time + 0.5 hour of admin time |
| Full day | 7 hours | 6 hours of hearing time + 1 hour admin time |
| The above parameters apply for each type of hearing (telephone, in-person, written) | ||