disposal of same in accordance with judicial directions or retention requirements.

Prosecution: The Municipal Prosecutors appear in POA Court to call the trial list and to conduct trials, to deal with motions, to set trial dates; they meet with defendants and their representatives in conjunction with the Early Resolution process with a view to resolving matters; they review law enforcement files to ensure that matters should be proceeded with and assist with disclosure to Defendants and their Representatives and they appear in the higher courts on both prosecution and defence appeals. All area municipalities except for Windsor continue to prosecute their own by-laws. In 2019 Part III matters under the POA remained the prosecutorial responsibility of the Crown Attorney’s office &/or specialist Prosecutors provided by various ministries.

On December 14, 2017, Bill 177 – Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act - was passed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that enables the Attorney General to enter into agreements with municipalities to transfer responsibility for certain prosecutions currently prosecuted by the Ministry's Criminal Law Division under Part Ill of the Provincial Offences Act. An exact date of the transfer to the municipal prosecutors has not been communicated and was previously expected sometime in 2020. Discussions between the local Crown Attorney’s office have begun as well as meetings with the POA Part III Transitional Planning Working Group. The agenda items at these meetings are determining next steps to move forward with thetransfer. The current Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) with the Province and the Local Side Agreement (LSA) are being revised and draft versions are being presented which will incorporate suggested changes from Municipalities. If Part III offences are transferred to the Municipalities the Crown Attorney’s office will continue to monitor the more serious cases. Based on a preliminary review of the statistics regarding Part III matters it is expected that an additional prosecutor would need to be added to the permanent staff establishment.

The prosecution of City of Windsor By-laws was transferred to the POA Municipal Prosecutors from the Legal Department in 2017. The Municipal Prosecutors are also prosecuting charges laid by any of the Fire Services in Essex County.

Fines Enforcement (Collections): One POA Fines Enforcement Supervisor along with one POA Fines Enforcement Specialist is responsible for ensuring that POA Court judgments, being orders imposing monetary penalties, are honoured by Defendants including seeing to it that certificates of default are prepared and filed in a timely fashion at the Civil Court; for sending out dunning letters; for locating and meeting with defendants having defaulted fines and making arrangements for collecting; for ensuring that writs of seizure and sale and garnishments are proceeded with in appropriate cases; for attending on judgment debtor examinations primarily at the Small Claims Court level; for filing proofs of claim with trustees in bankruptcy and estate trustees; and for liaising with collection agencies and credit bureaus with which the POA Program has relationships.

The Windsor Westcourt POA facility also houses a satellite office of the Police Court Services Branch. Among other things, that office works closely with the Prosecutors to ensure that law enforcement files are available for use at trials, at Early Resolution meetings and on appeals. The Court Services office also advises Police Officers of trial dates, summons lay witnesses, arranges for personal service of court documents, provides disclosure to Defendants and their legal