An Ontario Driver Was Reportedly Fined In Quebec For Not Having A Renewed Licence Plate
They were reportedly charged despite the extension in Ontario.
A car with an Ontario licence plate on the back.
An Ontario driver was reportedly hit with a hefty fine for driving without a renewed licence plate in Quebec, even though the Ontario government granted an extension to get them renewed at the time.
Per CBC News, Barbara Francis visited Gatineau Park in early March, then weeks later received a letter in the mail from MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais police with a ticket for $494.
The Ontario government had temporarily extended the validity of official documents like driver's licences, licence plates, and other vehicle products due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the provincial government, if an Ontario licence plate expired on or after March 1, 2020, drivers had until March 31, 2022, to renew their licence plates. This applied to anyone who owned a passenger vehicle, a light-duty truck or a motorcycle, as company cars have until September 30 this year to renew.
A spokesperson for MRC des Collines police told CBC News that the grace period only applied to Ontario and that the fault lies with the government for not making it more clear that licence plates still need to be renewed.
"It is the law for vehicle owners to renew their licence plate every one or two years at no cost to confirm their automobile insurance is valid and pay any defaulted fees, fines or tolls. Expired licence plates will remain subject to enforcement action," Dakota Brasier, press secretary for Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney's office, told Narcity.
Brasier also noted that the Ontario government alerted enforcement and provincial partners of the changes to the licence plate sticker program, and that it's up to police services to "communicate any and all relevant information to their front-line officers."
As of March 13, the Ford government scrapped licence plate sticker renewal fees outright for most vehicles in the province. While the fees are gone, Ontarians still need to have a valid licence plate and car insurance before they can hit the road.
Narcity reached out to MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais police for comment but didn't immediately hear back before this article was published.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.