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VICTORIA – The North Shore communities, City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver and District of West Vancouver, are the first in B.C. to establish a bylaw dispute adjudication system that will divert cases from the courts and make justice more accessible, Attorney General Geoff Plant announced today.
“The new bylaw adjudication system is part of our commitment to give municipal governments more powers to deal with local matters,” Plant said. “Dealing with bylaw disputes at the local level will save time and money for both taxpayers and local government and will lead to more efficient use of court resources.”
Initially, the adjudication system will be limited to parking violations. Until now, the only option has been to dispute tickets in provincial court, an expensive and time-consuming process. Under the new system, if no agreement can be reached with a municipal screening officer, the issue will be decided by an independent adjudicator chosen from a list approved by the Attorney General.
“This initiative builds on the principles of the Community Charter,” said Murray Coell, Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services. “Under the Charter, local governments have more freedom to respond to the needs of their taxpayers. The bylaw adjudication system builds on this independence, because it allows each of the participating municipalities to establish a procedure that’s appropriate for their needs.
“The new bylaw adjudication system shows what we can do when local government and the province work together to find solutions,” said North Vancouver City Mayor Barbara Sharp.
“This new system has many benefits for North Shore residents, including reducing the costly, time-consuming process associated with disputing parking tickets through the court system,” said North Vancouver District Mayor Don Bell.
“I’m pleased that all three local governments will have their needs and the needs of the public met in a single, efficient system,” said West Vancouver Mayor Ron Wood.
“The Union of British Columbia Municipalities has long advocated that local government be given these powers,” Said Frank Leonard, UBCM President. “This is an important step forward for local government.”
The Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act, passed during last fall’s sitting of the legislature authorizes local governments to set up bylaw dispute adjudication systems. Following an evaluation of the North Shore’s experience, the process will likely be extended to other kinds of bylaw disputes, and local governments across the province will be encouraged to participate.
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