Unpaid fine that WAS paid, expired license, now living in AB

While living in Ontario 4 years ago, I was pulled over and ticketed for having an expired plate sticker. I then bought a new vehicle. Before they gave me the new vehicle with new plates, all the outstanding fines needed to be paid. The dealership took my money, and paid the fines in order to register and license the new truck. I thought that was the end of that. Shortly after purchasing the new truck, i went through a nasty divorce. I moved out, but didnt give my address(yes i realize this is my fault for not obeying the law). A letter was sent to my old house. My ex didnt tell me it was there. The letter indicated that my license is suspended due to unpaid fine - the expired sticker.

Later that year, i was pulled over in a friends car(my ex had stolen mine, and fled to the states - long story) because they didn't have insurance! No worries, I figured. Not my car. The office then informed me I was driving while suspended! I was completely floored!

I went to the first court date, and pled "not guilty"...as I know for a fact that the fine they suspended me over was paid. I represented myself. I couldn't afford a lawyer, since I was already going through family court in the USA. My ex has abducted and retained my children there. Another date was set, and I went to that one...and again, they just kind of brushed it all aside, and gave yet another date. At this point, I am emotionally and financially drained from dealing with my ex. My girlfriend and I moved to Alberta for a fresh start. I just walked away.

I am now in Alberta. I would like to get my license back, as things would be easier here in this rural community to have one. I am not opposed to paying fines, or what have you. I needed to walk away from Ontario and all the pain, and I did. Now, after being here for a year and a half, I am ready to re-emerge i guess, and start dealing with horrible things like courts and such. I am pretty sure that Ontario License is now expired as well.

My question then is, who do i contact first? Alberta or Ontario, and what, in your honest opinions, will happen next? I want to approach this the best way possible. I am not opposed to graduated licensing, etc. Just want to start my life again.

AI CHIHUAHUA.

Start with Ontario. Call the courthouse where your trial took place and tell them you would like to pay any outstanding fines owed. That's step 1. They can also work with you on a payment plan. As for the licence suspension, I would also contact the dealership that claims they paid all outstanding fines and get some sort of letter from them, since there should be some sort of proof they paid the fine for the sticker. This sounds complicated and although I realize money may be in short supply in your case, you may at least want to get in touch with a paralegal or lawyer who specializes in traffic cases for a consult. Ordinarily I'd suggest going through appeals but it sounds like you just want to be done with this, so the fastest way to do this is just pay the fines. Upon conviction for driving suspended, you get a further suspension (6 months). They may also be looking for you for failure to appear, so it may be worthwhile getting legal advice first.

After all of that nasty business is done, you should be able to get an Alberta license based on your Ontario license. It is illegal to hold two driver licenses at once, so you'd have to surrender your Ontario license as part of the process to get a license in Alberta.

Not much advice I can give you other than that... some others may have other/better input...

Just so you're aware, fines for outstanding HTA offences must be paid for through the courts. The only fines that are paid through MTO (Service Ontario) are ones that need to be paid prior to renewing the validation sticker for the automobile. These are outstanding parking fines.

Sounds like the dealer may have simply paid off your parking tickets when the sticker was renewed.

I'd still follow RI's advice as well.

And don't forget call MTO, typically once licence has been suspended a $150 reinstatement fee has to be paid to bring the licence status back into good standing in Ontario....so even if all fees paid could still be suspended....I don't know...throwing it out there so there is no surprise should you drive here on an AB licence and get stopped as the ON records supersede the AB licence