District of Hope

1. Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control Services
2. Confidentiality
3. Dog Control and Licensing
4. Noise Complaints
5. Enforcement of Bylaws
6. Ticket Dispute
7. Ticket Payment

Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control

Bylaw Enforcement is a service provided through the Corporate Services Department to promote bylaw compliance through civic responsibility and good neighbour practices as they relate to various property maintenance standards, nuisance, dog control, noise, parking, traffic, business licence, illegal dumping, litter, graffiti, and controlled substance bylaws currently in force.

The District's Bylaw Enforcement Officers investigate complaints about alleged violations and answers general inquires relating to the interpretation of these bylaws and conducts inspections of properties to see that certain standards are being complied with. Priority is given to those complaints regarding health or public safety issues. All other complaints are dealt with in order of receipt. In determining if an action is necessary, the staff takes into consideration the impact, the number of complaints on the same issue, the duration of the offence, short term and long term impact, the potential for precedents and the resources available to resolve a complaint. Not all complaints require action or intervention by the District, as some issues are considered either as a civil matter between the two property owners, or as minor non-enforceable infractions.

Confidentiality

It is the District's practice that a complainant's information is considered confidential and is not released to anyone, unless ordered by the provincial Freedom of Information Commissioner. In almost all previous circumstances, the Commissioner has sided with a municipality and has not allowed complainant information to be released. However, each case is looked at individually and decisions may vary accordingly.

The District may request or require a complainant to act as a witness, should a case be required to be settled in court. This is usually done as a last resort, when the District's case is weak or should the Bylaw Enforcement Officer be unable to determine that a violation has occurred without the evidence of the complainant.

Dog Control and Licensing

Dog Control ensures responsible dog ownership as set out in the Dog Responsibility Bylaw and mandates the humane treatment of dogs within our District. 

Dog Owners are to ensure the following:

• License your dog after it is four (4) months old.
• Ensure your dogs are not running at large and are on a leash at all times when off the owner's property.
• Pick up your dog's excrement.
• Prevent your dog from barking disturbances.
• Limit the number of dogs and cats to no more than five (5) pets per property; no more than three (3) dogs or three (3) cats per property (a combination within the limits, not to exceed 5 in total).
• Ensure quality of care by providing clean drinking water and suitable quality and quantity of food; provide exercise, veterinary medical care, and protection from heat, cold and wet.
• Prevent your dog from biting, threatening, or chasing other animals, or jumping on people.
• Do not leave your dog unattended while tethered.
• Do not leave your dog in a vehicle.
• Do not transport dogs in the back of a truck, unless it is confined in a pen or a cage, or unless it is secured in a body harness or other manner of fastening to prevent it from jumping or falling off the vehicle or otherwise injuring itself.

Besides assisting the District in identifying lost dogs, licensing helps the Bylaw Enforcement Officer know that a dog has not been abandoned or is not a stray, as unclaimed dogs without a license are impounded and may be reluctantly euthanized if unadoptable. Licensing also helps track the number of pets a person owns on one property, thus reducing the potential nuisances arising from barking, running at large, and irresponsible ownership. Our licensing fee structure also encourages owners to spay or neuter their dogs to reduce over population and improve a dog's general disposition.

Licensing helps the District control costs attributed to dog control services which include setting up a dog shelter to provide support for the rescue of lost or abandoned dogs with food and shelter, and if necessary, providing for an abandoned dog veterinarian care. It also helps offset the costs for Bylaw Enforcement personnel, adoption services, and to supply and equip vehicles for the transport of dogs.

Noise Complaints

Currently the Good Neighbour Bylaw generally prohibits noise "which disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of any person or persons in the neighbourhood or vicinity of that place".

Noise complaints are subject to discretion and we ask that you keep a written record of the dates, times, duration, and type of noise that is occurring. When you have accumulated TEN dates (or more), thereby indicating a continuous nuisance, you should provide the Bylaw Enforcement Officer with a copy of these hand written notes and fill out a Bylaw Complaint Form. Upon receipt of your complaint, the Bylaw Enforcement Officer will contact the person(s) to advise that a complaint has been registered and they are required to take whatever action is necessary to eliminate the nuisance.

Enforcement of Bylaws

The District of Hope promotes bylaw compliance through civic responsibility and good neighbour practices. The District responds to complaints relating to violations of District bylaws including property maintenance standards, nuisance, dog control, noise, parking, traffic, business licence, zoning, illegal dumping, building violations, litter, graffiti, and controlled substance. In most cases, the District encourages voluntary compliance which may be between one to twenty-one days depending on the health and public safety issues or public interest. Not all complaints require action or intervention by the District.

The Bylaw Enforcement Officer is available to receive inquiries and/or complaints weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Complaints may be filed by fax, in person, in writing, by telephone or by email. Please ensure that you include your name, address and telephone number. Complaints without this information will not be investigated. Your information will be kept confidential.

Ticket Dispute

The District of Hope participates in the Upper Fraser Valley Bylaw Adjudication System. A person who receives a Bylaw Offence Notice (ticket) must dispute their ticket within 14 days of the date they received the ticket or are deemed to have received it. You can dispute your ticket online, in person, or by mail as follows:

Dispute online: Submit your dispute through the Online Dispute Portal at fvbylaw.ca.

Dispute in person: Complete the back of the ticket with your contact information and drop off at the Upper Fraser Valley Bylaw Adjudication System registry office located at the City of Chilliwack, 8550 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC, V2P 8A4.

Dispute by mail: Complete the back of the ticket with your contact information and mail Attn: Upper Fraser Valley Bylaw Adjudication System, City of Chilliwack, 8550 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC, V2P 8A4.

When you dispute your ticket, the participating local government will forward a report of the incident to the Screening Officer. The Screening Officer serves independently of local governments to resolve disputes. When the Screening Officer receives the report, you will be contacted to present your side of the incident. At this time, the Screening Officer will seek to resolve the dispute with you.

When the Screening Officer contacts you, they will be seeking to discuss the following:

• Information concerning the incident that constituted a Bylaw Offence Notice (ticket).
• The specific bylaw and its provision(s) that were allegedly contravened.
• The facts on which the contravention allegation is based.
• The fine for the infraction.
• The opportunity to enter into a Compliance Agreement - to establish terms and conditions for compliance that the Screening Officer considers necessary or advisable, including periods for payment, amendment of the notice or forgiving of the offence.

If the Screening Officer is unable to resolve the dispute, a Bylaw Adjudication Hearing may be requested. If you choose the option for your bylaw notice to proceed to adjudication, you will lose the early payment discount.

A Bylaw Adjudication Hearing is similar to a court hearing, allowing individuals to have their disputed ticket heard by an independent Adjudicator. The Attorney General's Office of the Province of BC provides the Adjudicator to the Bylaw Adjudication System. Adjudicators only have the authority to consider the offence based on the evidence presented.

The Bylaw Adjudication System is designed so that a lawyer's representation is unnecessary, but you may choose to have a lawyer present if you wish. Upon hearing the evidence, the Adjudicator will render a decision as to whether the offence did or did not take place. The Adjudicator is not at liberty to modify the offence or the penalty.

• If the Adjudicator finds that the contravention did occur, a $25.00 Adjudication fee is added to the penalty, which becomes payable immediately.
• If the Adjudicator renders a decision that the offence did not take place, the ticket and all associated charges are cancelled.

For more information regarding the dispute of a ticket, please contact the Upper Fraser Valley Bylaw Adjudication System at (604) 793-2743 or visit the City of Chilliwack, located at 8550 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC.

Ticket Payment

You can pay your ticket in person, by phone, or by mail.

In person: Pay with cash, cheque, or Interac at the District of Hope or with with cash, cheque, Interac, money order, or credit card at the City of Chilliwack.

By phone: Pay with a credit card through the Upper Fraser Valley Bylaw Adjudication System by calling (604) 793-2743 or 1-888-793-2744. A 2% service charge will apply.

By mail: Mail a cheque or money order with a copy of your ticket to:

Please note that:

• The penalty will be reduced if the ticket is paid within 14 days of issuance.
• If the ticket is not paid or disputed within 14 days, the penalty becomes due and payable immediately.
• After 14 days, the opportunity to dispute the ticket is lost.
• If the ticket is not paid within 28 days, a surcharge will be added to the penalty.
• Unpaid penalties may be forwarded to a collection agent and/or court action may be taken.