Ontario driver warns people about licence plate renewal rule after receiving hefty fine
An Ontario driver who got a $495 ticket is warning people about a rule he says he didn’t know still existed after the province dropped licence plate renewal fees.
Mathias Rousseau, who lives in Brampton, Ont., says he received a $489 ticket while driving in Gatineau, Que., with an expired licence plate in April. He said that when the province dropped the fees and sticker requirement, he assumed renewal was also no longer needed.
“I didn't know that I had to still go through the process,” Rousseau said. “They could have been more clearer. I thought it was no longer required because there was no longer a fee attached.”
“We probably could have been informed a little bit better on this.”
The province dropped the fees and stickers back in March, saying the change would save Ontario drivers about $120 a year. The government clarified at the time that while the province would be dropping the fees, residents would still need to renew their plates.
“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,” a spokesperson from the Ministry of Transportation said in an email to CTV News Toronto on Wednesday.
“Expired licence plates will remain subject to enforcement action.”
Rousseau said he plans to fight the ticket he received because he feels the government left residents confused about whether or not they needed to renew their licence plates with the new changes.
The province recently stopped mailing paper renewal notices to people with expiring driver's licences, licence plates and health cards, saying that people who wanted to be reminded needed to sign up for a digital reminder.
The spokesperson for the ministry stressed that drivers in Ontario still need to renew their plates, adding they have the option to apply for a one or two-year renewal. There is no cost to renew.
Ontario drivers can renew their licence plate at a ServiceOntario location, online or by mail.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Stormy Daniels is expected to appear at Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday
Donald Trump returns to the hush money trial Tuesday facing a threat of jail time for additional gag order violations as prosecutors gear up to summon big-name witnesses including porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.