Who is the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan?
The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS) is a well-established non-profit provincial organization that provides effective, just, and humane services in response to the causes and consequences of crime, and assists individuals who are at risk or are involved in the criminal justice process.
What fines are eligible for the program?
Traffic tickets, parking tickets, bylaw fines, and some criminal charges are eligible for the fine option program. The court identifies eligible fines. You cannot volunteer to work off SGI fees.
How do you determine the hours of volunteering needed to complete my fine?
This is determined by the amount of the fine and the amount of the current minimum wage is in Saskatchewan. For example, if you have a $260 fine at the current minimum wage of $13.00 per hour, you would need to work 20 hours to complete your fine.
Can I apply if I live outside of Regina, Saskatoon, or Moose Jaw?
If you receive a ticket outside of one of these locations and you would like to volunteer to work off your fine, you will need to check with your local town office. There are several agencies which run this program in rural areas. You can find a list here. If you live on a Reserve, you need to check with your band office.
What kinds of volunteer options are there?
We always do our best to match volunteers with an agency that fits their desire to give back to the community. There are several different types of volunteer placements, such as soup kitchens, thrift stores, food bank, bingo, etc.
Please click the link below to find volunteer opportunities in your area. Please keep in mind that not all agencies accept volunteers year round and we cannot guarantee placement at a specific partner agency.
Who can register for the Fine Option program?
- Fine Option Program is available to adults assessed by the court.
- Youth under the age of 18 are eligible to work off provincial or municipal fines but not fines for criminal code or federal offenses.
- Participants are eligible for fine option under various provincial fines, municipal fines, criminal codes and fines under various federal acts.
- Currently, Saskatchewan has agreements with Alberta and Manitoba that allow some out-of-province fines to be worked off in another province. The program is open only to the individual who received the fine, and does not apply to companies or corporations.
What are the mandatory requirements for registration?
- Attend the court date mentioned on the notice of offense.
- On attending the court date, you will be issued a notice of fine and surcharge or notice of conviction will be send in mailbox on missing the court date. With either document, you can register for FOP.
When should I register?
- Register for FOP before the date of default mentioned on the top right column of the notice of fine and surcharge (it’s a yellow and a pink paper issue by the court house).
- For all the provincial fines, if you miss the court date, you will be send a notice of conviction in your mailbox; you can register with that notice of conviction before the date of default.