Municipal Enforcement

Municipal Bylaw Tags

If you receive a Municipal Bylaw Tag, you must personally attend the Town of Cardston, located at 67 3 Avenue West and your payment will be accepted at the front desk. Please note that the Town of Cardston does not accept ticket payment via the mail. The payment due date for a Bylaw Ticket is thirty (30) days from the date of issue. 
 

Provincial Violation Tickets

If you have received a Provincial Violation Ticket, you can pay your fine online at www.finepayment.gov.ab.ca, in person at any Provincial Court House, or in person at any Alberta registry office, including Chaparral Licensing and Registry, located at 295 Main Street. Payment for any Provincial Violation Ticket is due by the court date identified on the face of the ticket. 

Leash Laws:

All animals in the Town of Cardston are required to be on a leash or similar device (excluding electronic leashes), any time the animal is off the property of the owner. Any animal not on a leash is considered to be running at large and the owner or person in care and control of the animal could be prosecuted. 

Stray Animals and Lost Pets:

If you notice a stray animal in your neighbourhood you can do any of the following to ensure the animal is taken to a safe location;

• Large or unsafe animals should always be handled by a professional. Should you notice a stray animal you should call Municipal Enforcement as soon as possible. 

If your dog or cat has been captured or impounded by Cardston Municipal Enforcement it will be taken immediately and held at the Cardston Pound. Therefore if you have lost your pet, you should immediately contact Municipal Enforcement. When attempting to claim an animal you will be asked to first attend the Town of Cardston at 67 3 Avenue West to complete a claim form and pay any applicable fees relating to the impounding and boarding of the animal.

Animals in Distress and Animal Cruelty:

The Community Peace Officer will investigate all claims of animal cruelty or complaints of animals in distress. Should you have any concerns relating to the distress of any animal, please contact us immediately. 

For more information on cruelty to animals, please visit Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Alberta SPCA) website.

Crossing the Centre Line:

Parking throughout the downtown area is entirely angle parking, and therefore some people will drive across the center line to park on the opposite side of the street. This action is illegal pursuant to the Traffic Safety Act. 

Play Ground and School Zones:

School zones are in effect from the beginning of September until the end of June the following year, and are usually in effect from 7:30 am until 4:30 pm. 

The Town of Cardston has many Playground zones throughout, all of which are identified at the beginning and end of the zone with a sign. Playground zones are in effect from 8:30 am until one hour after sunset. 

The speed limits for both School and Playground Zones are 30 Kilometers per hour ( kp/h).

Parking: 

Street parking within the Town of Cardston is free!  Although you may park a vehicle anywhere on the street, that vehicle must bear current registration and be insured to be on a public roadway. A vehicle must also move every 72 hours, or it may be considered to be abandoned under the Traffic Safety Act.

Please take note of any signs in the area, as some areas are specific to certain parking, and may also deny public parking. These areas include fire lanes, emergency egress routes, angle parking only areas, and no parking zones. Please take note that parking throughout the entire downtown area is angle parking. 

Private Parking Issues: 

If a vehicle is parked on your private property and you are the property owner, or the property's representative, you have the authority to have the vehicle removed by contacting a towing company. You may contact Municipal Enforcement to have a Peace Officer attend your property to see if we can locate the vehicle owner and ensure the vehicle is not stolen. However, a Peace Officer will not tow the vehicle from your property as we are not the owners or representatives of the property.

Q. What is a Peace Officer?
A. A Peace Officer is appointed by the Alberta Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General, but is employed by the Town of Cardston to enforce Municipal Bylaws and select Provincial Legislation. 

Q. What is the different between a Peace Officer and a Bylaw Officer?
A. A Bylaw Officer has only the authority set out by the Town of Cardston, and may only enforce and detain, for the purpose of investigating contraventions of the Town of Cardston bylaws. A Peace Officer has a higher level of authority to enforce, detain, and arrest, for the purpose of investigation of Provincial Legislation.  

Q. There is a vehicle parked on the street in front of my residence. The vehicle is not blocking my driveway but it is annoying because the owner always parks their vehicle there. What should I do?
A. Although this may be frustrating, unfortunately you as a resident do not own the town street. People may park in front of your residence, so long as there is no contravention of a bylaw. 

Q. Can I make an anonymous complaint?
A. No you cannot. Unfortunately Municipal Enforcement does not accept anonymous complaints, and will not investigate complaints with missing contact information. Any complaint made with Municipal Enforcement must be accompanied by the complainant’s full name, date of birth, and address (mailing and physical). This will allow for the best and most efficient investigative process possible, and hopefully creating a faster outcome for the complainant. 

Q. Does my personal information get released to the person I am complaining about?
A. As a general rule your information will not be released to the Subject of Complaint. However there are two exceptions to this rule. If you are required to attend court as a result of your complaint, we are legally obligated to disclose all of the information to the defendant. Or if someone makes an application under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, we may be required to release your information. 

Q. Can an officer enter onto my property without a warrant?
A. Yes an officer may enter onto your property without a warrant to investigate a complaint, as set out in legislation and case law. However an officer may not enter into a dwelling house without having first receiving consent from an owner or a person in charge of the dwelling. When applicable, Peace Officers will first attempt to contact an owner or person in control of a property, prior to visiting. 

Q. Can I be arrested by a Peace Officer?
A. Yes, Peace Officers have powers of arrest pursuant to the legislation identified on their individual appointments.