Notice of Claim

If you have suffered an injury or have sustained damage to your personal property as a direct result of activities or services provided by the City of Richmond Hill, and wish to file a claim for your damages, the following information will guide you through the process.

Please note that the City is legally liable for your damages and or injuries ONLY if you can provide evidence that the City committed a negligent act or omission that resulted in the damage and or injury. The onus is on you to prove your claim and your damages.

The Municipal Act places some time restrictions on submitting an insurance claim including those involving a slip and fall. Such incidents must be reported to Richmond Hill within 10 days of the incident in order to be considered. To ensure that your claim does not fall outside of the 10 Day Notice Period, in all circumstances, please forward it to the Office of the City Clerk as soon as possible.

If your property has been damaged, we strongly suggest that you report to your home and automobile insurance company first. Your personal insurance may provide you with the full replacement value of your damaged property and, if the City is at fault, they will attempt recovery from the City on your behalf.   If you claim your property damage directly from the City, we are obligated to only offer you the depreciated value of the damaged property.

Fraudulent claims will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Claim File Process

Prior to submitting a claim to the City of Richmond Hill, please consult your insurance company to determine if you are covered for your specific type of damage, injury or loss.

To expedite your claim, you should place the City on notice as soon as possible. Please complete the Notice of Claim form and submit it.

Notice of Claim form

Response Time

Upon receipt of your Notice of Claim form, the Clerk’s Office will send an acknowledgement to the email address provided within seven business days, and forward your claim to the Risk Management Branch.

Risk Management will commence an investigation based on the information you provided.  For this reason, we request that your Notice of Claim contain as much detail as possible.  Please attach photos of the location of loss or injury, as well as photos of your damages.  Generally accepted adjusting principles will be followed to determine liability.

Due to the uniqueness of each claim, we are unable to state when final decisions will be made on claims.

If you have any questions regarding the claims notification process, please contact Richmond Hill's Risk Management Section at 905-747-6496 or 905-771-6518.

For sewer back-up damages, please call the City's Emergency hotline for prompt assistance at 905-884-8013.