Alarm Monitoring By-Laws
Alarm Registration or False Alarm Fees in Southeaster Ontario
Did You Know?
96% of alarms callouts are false. Because of this Police departments across the province have created False Alarm Reduction initiatives. These programs vary from municipality to municipality and may include by-laws that require users to register their alarms signals, verify alarm signals before contacting the police, or fees for police responses that resulted from false alarms.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Local Requirements for Alarm Registration
Belleville Police Service
False Alarm Reduction By-law
Details
Under the City of Belleville Bylaw 2006-34, an excessive false alarm fee is payable by the owner of any premises after the second and all subsequent false alarms from those premises during any calendar year.
The exception to the Bylaw would be:
- Instances where the alarm was caused by an illegal entry or any attempt at illegal entry to the premise
- Alarm caused by severe weather or major electrical disruption
Kingston Police Service
Alarm System Registry
Details
The City of Kingston requires that all premises be registered in advance of any dispatch. For customers who are already registered and did not have a false alarm in the previous year, there is no additional fee.
Alarm Systems will register on behalf of customers who have Kingston Police Service on their call list and bill those clients accordingly. If you are unsure is the Kingston Police Service is on your call list. Please contact us.
“False Alarm” means any signal or message from an alarm system to an alarm monitoring company that is reported to the Kingston Police, where there is no evidence that unauthorized was made or attempted or that criminal activity has occurred and where the alarm system appears to have been activated unnecessarily, improperly, accidentally or for a purpose other than that for which it was installed.
Alternative to Police Registration in Kingston
In order to reduce false alarm calls, customers in Kingston can opt for a security patrol service. For a small monthly fee, security guards will respond to verify alarms. If the alarm is verified, the police will be notified at no charge.
The first two call-outs are covered by your monthly subscription, all subsequent call-outs will be charged on a per-use basis.
Cobourg Police Service
Alarm Registration & Response By-law
Details
If the Cobourg Police Service responds to a false alarm and the alarmed premise is not a registered alarm premise for purposes of this By-law, the Cobourg Police Service will forward a letter to the alarm holder advising that payment of the applicable registration fee, plus H.S.T. is required for registration together with the address of the alarmed premise. The alarm holder will be allowed 15 days, from the alarm response date, to pay the registration fee, failing which that alarmed premise will be suspended from police response.
Non-Registered Response
If the Cobourg Police Service responds to a false alarm and the alarmed premise is not a registered alarm premise for purposes of this By-law, the Cobourg Police Service will forward a letter to the alarm holder advising that payment of the applicable registration fee, plus H.S.T. is required for registration together with the address of the alarmed premise. The alarm holder will be allowed 15 days, from the alarm response date, to pay the registration fee, failing which that alarmed premise will be suspended from police response
Peterborough -Lakefield
Alarm Registration & Response By-law
Details
An alarm registration fee will be required in order to receive police response to monitored alarm systems. This response will include two (2) false alarms in any 365 day period. It will be the responsibility of the monitoring stations/alarm companies to contact all their monitored alarm subscribers and advise them of this alarm registration fee; collect the appropriate fees and forward a single cheque/money order payable to the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service indicating the addresses of subscribers that wish to be registered by municipality.
Non-Registered Response
If the Peterborough Police Service responds to a false alarm and the premise has not been registered, the Peterborough Police Service will forward a letter to the subscriber advising a remittance of the appropriate registration fee, plus H.S.T. is required for registration and a copy of the By-Law will be furnished upon receipt of the registration fee. The alarm subscriber will be allowed 15 days, from the alarm response date, to pay the set registration or be suspended from police response.
Ottawa Police Services
False Alarm Reduction By-Law
Details
The Ottawa Police Service False Alarm Reduction By-Law states that when the Ottawa Police is required to attend a building, structure or premises as a result of an Alarm Incident that is deemed a False Alarm, a fee plus any applicable taxes will be charged to the Registration Certificate Holder for the Alarm System responsible for the False Alarm. (By-law No. 2 of 2017)
Monitoring Services
This page was last updated on January 25, 2024. Fees are subject to change. Please consult your local jurisdiction.