The Town of Halton Hills is facing an uphill battle with illegal truck yards that are growing on prime farmland.

“We’re faced with illegal land use,” Mayor Ann Lawlor said. “Trucking operations are setting up in places that are inappropriate for that use. They come in at night, bring in fill, create roads, fill in creeks, and contaminate the soil. It’s devastating our countryside.”

Officials have identified more than 50 illegal truck depots in the town with a population of around 65,000 residents. Part of the Regional Municipality of Halton, the town lies in the northwestern end of the Greater Toronto Area.

The town’s southern border conveniently sits along Highway 401 and some trucking operations have been quick set roots on prime agricultural land without bothering to apply for proper permits.

80 charges laid

Halton Hills currently has more than 40 active investigations and has laid more than 80 charges against more than 10 properties. Convictions have been secured for roughly 15 to 20 sites, but each prosecution consumes scores of staff hours and takes two to five years to resolve. Even the largest fine to date — about $115,000 — has not come close to covering the costs.

A drive along Steeles Avenue on the town’s southern border, between Trafalgar Road and Winston Churchill Boulevard, reveals the extent trucking operations have sprouted in the area. Farmland has been fenced off, while trucks and trailers sit in hastily paved off areas monitored by cameras. “Truck parking available” signs are also prevalent.

“These operations are eyesores,” Lawlor said. “We get complaints about noise, lighting, and traffic. The way our land is used is important to us, and we’re not going to stop enforcing appropriate use of the land in Halton Hills. We’ll keep chipping away at it, even if for some it’s seen as the cost of doing business.”

The town says it is struggling due to the current Provincial Offences Act process, which requires lengthy court proceedings for zoning violations. Each case must go through multiple adjournments and filings, stretching resources thin.

Two years per case

“We have five officers,” said Susie Spry, the town’s manager of enforcement services. “They enforce every bylaw for the town, everything from noise to animal control. All our convictions so far have gone through Provincial Offences court, which means months of preparation, sworn documents, court dates, delays, and adjournments. We’re looking at about two years minimum per case.”

To address the backlog, council approved a new Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) bylaw in January 2025, allowing staff to issue fines directly for most municipal infractions. The system covers all regulatory bylaws under the Municipal Act — except zoning, which falls under the province’s Planning Act.

Spry said the new AMPS bylaw, approved by council earlier this year, allows the town to issue fines right away rather than waiting for court proceedings. She explained enforcement officers can now issue continuing offense notices that add up daily until a violation is resolved. However, zoning cases still fall under the provincial court system, a gap she said the province needs to fix.

Halton Hills and other municipalities are urging the Ontario government to amend Section 67 of the Planning Act to allow AMPS to apply to zoning offenses. The shift would let municipalities issue penalties for illegal land use directly, bypassing the court process entirely.

Quicker timeframe sought

Under the proposed system, municipalities could resolve violations in weeks rather than years, reduce staff time and legal costs, and ease pressure on an already congested court system. The town argues that quicker penalties would deter illegal activity early and encourage compliance before environmental damage occurs.

Lawlor said amending the Planning Act “would be the biggest change” municipalities could receive from Queen’s Park. “It would also be helpful if we had more court time,” she added. “Our court system in Halton is very clogged up, and we have limited time to present these cases.”

The campaign builds on a 2024 Halton Hills resolution supporting the Town of Caledon’s call for stronger provincial enforcement powers. That motion urged Ontario to allow municipalities to bar entry to properties engaged in illegal land use posing safety or environmental risks, and to raise fines to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for corporations on first conviction, with additional daily penalties for ongoing violations.

AMPS program

In November 2024, Spry presented a staff report recommending the expansion of Halton Hills’ AMPS program — previously used for parking infractions — to cover other regulatory bylaws, such as site alteration and property standards. The report cited public support for the move, noting that 77% of residents backed the broader use of administrative penalties, with 71% describing them as fair.

The system, that took effect in April 2025, is aimed at reducing case resolution times from years to about 30 days. It also allows escalating fines for repeat violations, giving enforcement officers new leverage without additional staffing.

Higher fines for rule violators

Spry said the town has no plans to hire additional enforcement officers but noted that fines will be significantly higher for those violating municipal rules. She said the tougher penalties are meant to deter repeat offenders and encourage quicker compliance.

Lawlor said the changes are about protecting Halton Hills’ quality of life and preserving farmland for future generations. The mayor added that the town remains committed to protecting the character of its community. Although the illegal truck yards are significantly and negatively affecting that quality of life, the town will not give up the fight, she added.