How to File a Claim
If you have suffered a loss for which you believe the City of Brockville may be responsible, you must follow the process below to send your claim to the City for consideration.
The Municipal Act 2001 requires that the City receive claim notification in writing and in some situations, you are required to place the City on notice within 10 days of the incident. To ensure that your claim meets the notice requirement, in all circumstances please forward it to the City as soon as possible.
Claim forms are available here.
Claim File Process
Prior to submitting a claim to the City of Brockville, please consult your insurance company or broker to determine if you are covered for your specific type of damage, injury or loss. Depending on the situation, you may be eligible for greater compensation than you can legally recover from the City. Please note that if your insurer believes the City is liable your insurer will seek compensation from the City on your behalf.
Prepare your notice of claim in writing and ensure it contains the following information:
- Name, address, phone number and/or email address of the person making the claim;
- Date, time and exact location (address or closest intersection) of the incident causing damage, injury or loss;
- A complete description of what happened including photographs, police report (if available), diagrams, estimates and/or repair invoices to substantiate your loss;
- Details of the type of damage or injury;
- The name of any other party involved including City staff or contractor etc.;
- List name(s) and contact information of any witnesses;
- If you have reported the incident to your insurance company, provide the name and contact information of the insurance adjuster assigned to your insurance claim.
Potholes
When making a claim against the City for pothole damages it is important to note that the City will not be responsible for your property damage if the City has met the Provincial “Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways” (MMS). Ontario Regulation 239/02: Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways .
The MMS comprise a series of standards for various aspects of road maintenance (patrolling, salting, clearing snow and pothole repair) which vary, depending on the speed limit and traffic volume on a particular roadway in accordance with these standards:
- Potholes in higher speed roads and high-volume roads are repaired more quickly than ones on side streets.
- On the busiest roads, the City repairs potholes in four days from the date they are reported.
- On side streets, the City has 30 days to repair potholes from the date that they are reported.
The City identifies potholes through regular patrols.
Where to send your Notice of Claim
To submit your claim you can use one of the following methods:
Regular Mail:
The Corporation of the City of Brockville
1 King Street West, PO Box 5000
Brockville, ON
K6V 7A5
Attention: Risk Management
Email: claims@brockville.com
The City will not be held responsible for your costs unless you can provide evidence that the City committed a negligent act or omission which resulted in injury or damage. The City of Brockville only compensates when the City is legally liable for the damage or injury sustained.
Response To A Claim
Upon receipt of your claim by the Risk Management Coordinator, you will receive written acknowledgement which will include a claim number. Please retain this claim number as reference for future communication.
The Risk Management Coordinator will initiate an investigation based on the information you have provided. Your claim may be referred to an independent insurance adjuster who will then conduct an investigation into the facts and circumstances of your incident and determine whether the City is legally liable for your claim.
Due to the uniqueness of each claim, the timeline concerning the final decision of a claim will vary.
If you have any questions regarding the claims process please send your inquiry to claims@brockville.com. Alternatively, you can contact the City Risk Management Coordinator at 613-342-8772 ext. 4485.
The personal information collected to investigate your claim is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25 and will be disclosed to staff and service providers who require the information to investigate your claim against the City of Brockville. Questions about the collection of this personal information should be directed to the Clerk’s Office.
