Bylaw Tickets vs. Criminal Charges in Canada: What’s the Difference?

Sara Santos-Vigneault
Apr 23
2 min read

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It’s not uncommon to hear about people receiving tickets for things like parking violations, noise complaints, or failing to clear snow from sidewalks. These are typically considered bylaw infractions. But how do these differ from criminal charges under Canadian law? Understanding the difference is important for knowing your rights and obligations.

What Is a Bylaw Offence?

Bylaw offences are local rules created by municipalities to regulate specific behaviours within city limits. Common bylaw topics include:

Parking and traffic
Property maintenance
Noise
Pet licensing
Public conduct (e.g., smoking in prohibited areas)

These infractions are regulatory in nature. That means they are not criminal offences and do not result in a criminal record. Bylaw officers or municipal enforcement officials typically issue tickets or fines, and disputes are handled in provincial offences court or a similar administrative process.

What Is a Criminal Charge?

Criminal charges arise under federal law, such as the Criminal Code of Canada. These are considered offences against the state and can lead to serious consequences including:

Arrest
Court appearances
Criminal records
Jail time (in serious cases)

Examples include theft, assault, fraud, and impaired driving. Unlike bylaw offences, criminal charges require a higher burden of proof (“beyond a reasonable doubt”) and carry lasting implications.

Key Differences

Feature	Bylaw Offence	Criminal Charge
Jurisdiction	Municipal	Federal
Enforcement	Bylaw officers	Police or RCMP
Court	Provincial offences court or equivalent	Criminal court
Record	No criminal record	May result in a criminal record
Penalties	Fines, warnings	Fines, jail, probation
Burden of Proof	Balance of probabilities	Beyond a reasonable doubt

What Happens If You Ignore a Bylaw Ticket?

Ignoring a bylaw ticket may result in additional fines or enforcement actions like licence suspensions (for traffic-related issues). If you wish to dispute a bylaw infraction, you must follow the procedures outlined on the ticket, usually within 15 to 30 days.

Can Bylaw Infractions Affect a Background Check?

Generally, bylaw infractions do not appear on criminal background checks. However, if enforcement escalates to court proceedings, a record of the decision may be available in court databases, depending on the province.

Bylaw offences and criminal charges are handled in entirely different legal frameworks in Canada. While a bylaw ticket may be annoying, it does not carry the same legal weight as a criminal charge. Understanding the difference can help you respond appropriately and protect your rights.