17. A reply, intervention or submission shall be filed with the Secretary and served on the parties at least 20 days before the day fixed for the commencement of a hearing as set out in the notice thereof published pursuant to subsection 8(2) unless such notice of the Council otherwise directs.

18. Where a person who intends to reply to an intervention or submission fails to file his reply with the Secretary within the time specified in section 17 or the notice thereof, as the case may be, the hearing may commence and be determined without further notice to that person.

19. The Council may, at any time prior to the termination of a proceeding, serve a true copy of a reply, intervention or submission on the parties.

• 20. (1) Within 10 days after a party is served with a copy of any reply, intervention or submission, that party may mail or deliver to the Secretary a reply thereto.

• (2) Where a reply referred to in subsection (1) is not mailed or delivered within the time specified in that subsection, the Secretary may refuse to accept it.

• 21. (1) A party in a reply referred to in section 20 may object to any application, reply, intervention or submission, stating the grounds of his objection and may admit or deny any or all the facts alleged in the document.

• (2) A reply shall be signed by the party or his solicitor and, where it is signed by his agent, it shall be accompanied by a copy of the document that authorizes the agent to act on behalf of the party.

• 22. (1) Subject to subsection (2), service of any notice or other document shall be by personal service, in which case service shall be on the date of delivery, or by mail, in which case the date of service shall be the date the notice or other document is deposited in a post office.

• (2) Proof of service by affidavit shall, at the request of the Council, be filed with the Secretary in respect of any document required to be served.

• (3) Documents to be served on the Council may be personally served at its offices in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act.

• 23. (1) The Council may at any time require the whole or any part of any application, reply, intervention or submission filed with the Secretary to be supported by affidavit or require proof of the fact that notice of or a copy of any such application, reply, intervention or submission has been given or sent in the manner required by these Rules, by giving notice to that effect to the person by or on behalf of whom the application, reply, intervention or submission was filed.

• (2) Where a person who has been notified in accordance with subsection (1) fails to comply with the terms of the notice, the Council may set aside the application, reply, intervention or submission or any part thereof that is not supported or proved in accordance with the notice.

• (3) Where in any case an affidavit referred to in subsection (1) is made as to belief, the grounds on which the belief is based shall be stated in the affidavit.