Skip to main content

Bill C-46

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Skip to Document Navigation Skip to Document Content

First Session, Forty-second Parliament,

64-65-66 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016-2017

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-46
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

FIRST READING, April 13, 2017

MINISTER OF JUSTICE

90836


SUMMARY

Part 1 amends the provisions of the Criminal Code that deal with offences and procedures relating to drug-impaired driving. Among other things, the amendments

(a) enact new criminal offences for driving with a blood drug concentration that is equal to or higher than the permitted concentration;

(b) authorize the Governor in Council to establish blood drug concentrations; and

(c) authorize peace officers who suspect a driver has a drug in their body to demand that the driver provide a sample of a bodily substance for analysis by drug screening equipment that is approved by the Attorney General of Canada.

Part 2 repeals the provisions of the Criminal Code that deal with offences and procedures relating to conveyances, including those provisions enacted by Part 1, and replaces them with provisions in a new Part of the Criminal Code that, among other things,

(a) re-enact and modernize offences and procedures relating to conveyances;

(b) authorize mandatory roadside screening for alcohol;

(c) establish the requirements to prove a person’s blood alcohol concentration; and

(d) increase certain maximum penalties and certain minimum fines.

Part 3 contains coordinating amendments and the coming into force provision.

Available on the House of Commons website at the following address:
www.ourcommons.ca


1st Session, 42nd Parliament,

64-65-66 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016-2017

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-46

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Preamble

Whereas dangerous driving and impaired driving injure or kill thousands of people in Canada every year;

Whereas dangerous driving and impaired driving are unacceptable at all times and in all circumstances;

Whereas it is important to deter persons from driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs;

Whereas it is important that law enforcement officers be better equipped to detect instances of alcohol-impaired or drug-impaired driving;

Whereas it is important to simplify the law relating to the proof of blood alcohol concentration;

Whereas it is important to protect the public from the dangers posed by consuming large quantities of alcohol immediately before driving;

Whereas it is important to deter persons from consuming alcohol or drugs after driving in circumstances where they have a reasonable expectation that they would be required to provide a sample of breath or blood;

Whereas it is important that federal and provincial laws work together to promote the safe operation of motor vehicles;

And whereas the Parliament of Canada is committed to deterring the commission of offences relating to the operation of conveyances, particularly dangerous driving and impaired driving;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

PART 1
Offences Relating to Transportation — Drugs

R.‍S.‍, c. C-46

Amendments to the Criminal Code

1Section 253 of the Criminal Code is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):

Operation while impaired — blood drug concentration
Start of inserted block

(3)Subject to subsection (4), everyone commits an offence who has within two hours after ceasing to operate a motor vehicle or vessel or after ceasing to operate or to assist in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment or after ceasing to have the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment

  • (a)a blood drug concentration that is equal to or exceeds the blood drug concentration for the drug that is prescribed by regulation;

  • (b)a blood drug concentration that is equal to or exceeds the blood drug concentration for the drug that is prescribed by regulation and that is less than the concentration prescribed for the purposes of paragraph (a); or

  • (c)a blood alcohol concentration and a blood drug concentration that is equal to or exceeds the blood alcohol concentration and the blood drug concentration for the drug that are prescribed by regulation for instances where alcohol and that drug are combined.

    End of inserted block
Exception
Start of inserted block

(4)No person commits an offence under subsection (3) if

  • (a)they consumed the drug or the alcohol or both after ceasing to operate a motor vehicle or vessel, or after ceasing to operate or assist in the operation of an aircraft or railway equipment or after ceasing to have the care or control of a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment; and

  • (b)after ceasing the activities described in paragraph (a), they had no reasonable expectation that they would be required to provide a sample of a bodily substance.

    End of inserted block

2The Act is amended by adding the following after section 253:

Regulations
Start of inserted block

253.‍1The Governor in Council may make regulations

  • (a)prescribing the blood drug concentration for a drug for the purposes of paragraph 253(3)‍(a);

  • (b)prescribing the blood drug concentration for a drug for the purposes of paragraph 253(3)‍(b); and

  • (c)prescribing a blood alcohol concentration and a blood drug concentration for a drug for the purposes of paragraph 253(3)‍(c).

    End of inserted block

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 36

3(1)The definitions approved container, approved instrument and approved screening device in subsection 254(1) of the Act are replaced by the following:

approved container means a container of a kind that is approved by order of the Attorney General of Canada Insertion start under paragraph 254.‍01(d) Insertion end ; (contenant approuvé)

approved instrument means an instrument of a kind that is approved by order of the Attorney General of Canada Insertion start under paragraph 254.‍01(c) Insertion end ; (alcootest approuvé)

approved screening device means a device of a kind that is approved by order of the Attorney General of Canada Insertion start under paragraph 254.‍01(a) Insertion end ; (appareil de détection approuvé)

(2)Subsection 254(1) of the Act is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

Start of inserted block

approved drug screening equipment means equipment of a kind that is approved by order of the Attorney General of Canada under paragraph 254.‍01(b); (matériel de détection des drogues approuvé)

End of inserted block

2008, c. 6, s. 19(3)

(3)The portion of subsection 254(2) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Testing for presence of alcohol or a drug

(2)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has alcohol or a drug in their body and that the person has, within the preceding three hours, operated a motor vehicle or vessel, operated or assisted in the operation of an aircraft or railway equipment or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment, the peace officer may, by demand, require the person to comply with Insertion start the requirements of either or both of paragraphs Insertion end (a) Insertion start and (c) Insertion end , in the case of a drug, or with Insertion start the requirements of Insertion end either or both of paragraphs (a) and (b), in the case of alcohol:

(4)Subsection 254(2) of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (a), by adding “and” at the end of paragraph (b) and by adding the following after paragraph (b):

  • Start of inserted block

    (c)to forthwith provide a sample of a bodily substance that, in the peace officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made by means of approved drug screening equipment and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

    End of inserted block

2008, c. 6, s. 19(3)

(5)Subsection 254(3.‍1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Evaluation and samples

(3.‍1)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is committing, or at any time within the preceding three hours has committed, an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(a) as a result of the consumption of a drug or of a combination of alcohol and a drug, Insertion start or has committed an offence under subsection 253(3) Insertion end , the peace officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person

  • Insertion start (a) Insertion end to submit, as soon as practicable, to an evaluation conducted by an evaluating officer to determine whether the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose; Insertion start or Insertion end

  • Start of inserted block

    (b)to provide, as soon as practicable, the samples of blood that, in the opinion of the qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician taking the samples, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made to determine the person’s blood drug concentration, or the person’s blood drug concentration and blood alcohol concentration, as the case may be, and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

    End of inserted block

2008, c. 6, s. 19(3)

(6)Subsection 254(3.‍3) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Testing for presence of alcohol

(3.‍3)If the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that the person has alcohol in their body and if a demand was not made under subsection (3), the evaluating officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable, a sample of breath that, in the evaluating officer’s opinion, will enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved instrument.

2008, c. 6, s. 19(3)

(7)The portion of subsection 254(3.‍4) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Samples of bodily substances

(3.‍4)If, on completion of the evaluation, the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, the evaluating officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable,

2008, c. 6, s. 19(3)

(8)Subsection 254(4) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Admissibility of evaluating officer’s opinion
Start of inserted block

(3.‍5)An evaluating officer’s opinion relating to the impairment, by a drug of a type that they identified, or by a combination of alcohol and that drug, of a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment is admissible in evidence without qualifying the evaluating officer as an expert.

End of inserted block
Presumption — drug
Start of inserted block

(3.‍6)If the analysis of a sample provided under paragraph (3.‍4)‍(b) demonstrates that the person has a drug in their body that is of a type that the evaluating officer has identified as impairing the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment, that drug — or, if the person has also consumed alcohol, the combination of alcohol and that drug — is presumed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to be the drug, or the combination of alcohol and that drug, that was present in the person’s body at the time when the person operated the motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment and, on proof of the person’s impairment, to have been the cause of that impairment.

End of inserted block
Condition
Start of inserted block

(4)Samples of blood may be taken from a person under subsection (3) or (3.‍4) only by a qualified medical practitioner, or a qualified technician, who is satisfied that taking the samples would not endanger the person’s life or health.

End of inserted block

4The Act is amended by adding the following after section 254:

Approval — Attorney General of Canada
Start of inserted block

254.‍01The Attorney General of Canada may, by order, approve

  • (a)a device that is designed to ascertain the presence of alcohol in a person’s blood;

  • (b)equipment that is designed to ascertain the presence of a drug in a person’s body;

  • (c)an instrument that is designed to receive and make an analysis of a sample of a person’s breath to determine their blood alcohol concentration; and

  • (d)a container that is designed to receive a sample of a person’s blood for analysis.

    End of inserted block

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 36

5(1)The portion of subsection 255(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Punishment

255(1)Everyone who commits an offence under Insertion start subsection Insertion end 253 Insertion start (1) Insertion end , Insertion start paragraph 253(3)‍(a) or (c) Insertion end or section 254 is guilty of an indictable offence or an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable,

(2)Section 255 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1):

Summary conviction
Start of inserted block

(1.‍1)Everyone who commits an offence under paragraph 253(3)‍(b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable to a fine of not more than $1,000.

End of inserted block

2008, c. 6, s. 21(3)

(3)Subsection 255(2.‍1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Blood concentration equal to or over legal limit — bodily harm

(2.‍1)Everyone who, while committing an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(b) Insertion start or (3)‍(a) or (c) Insertion end , causes an accident resulting in bodily harm to another person is guilty of an indictable offence and Insertion start is Insertion end liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years.

2008, c. 6, s. 21(3)

(4)Subsection 255(3.‍1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Blood concentration equal to or over legal limit — death

(3.‍1)Everyone who, while committing an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(b) Insertion start or (3)‍(a) or (c) Insertion end , causes an accident resulting in the death of another person is guilty of an indictable offence and Insertion start is Insertion end liable to imprisonment for life.

2008, c. 6, s. 21(4)

(5)The portion of subsection 255(4) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Previous convictions

(4)A person who is convicted of an offence committed under section 253, Insertion start except paragraph 253(3)‍(b) Insertion end , or Insertion start under Insertion end subsection 254(5) is, for the purposes of this Act, deemed to be convicted for a second or subsequent offence, as the case may be, if they have previously been convicted of

2008, c. 6, s. 23

6Subsection 257(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

No criminal or civil liability

(2)No qualified medical practitioner, and no qualified technician, Insertion start who takes Insertion end a sample of blood from a person under section 254 or 256 incurs any criminal or civil liability for Insertion start doing Insertion end anything Insertion start necessary to take Insertion end the sample Insertion start that was Insertion end done with reasonable care Insertion start and Insertion end skill.

2008, c. 6, s. 24(5)

7(1)The portion of paragraph 258(1)‍(d) of the Act before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:

  • (d)if a sample of the accused’s blood has been taken under section 254 or 256 or with the accused’s consent, evidence of the result of the analysis of that Insertion start sample Insertion end is conclusive proof, in the absence of evidence tending to show that the analysis was performed improperly, that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood both at the time when the sample was taken and at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed was the concentration determined by the analysis or, if more than one Insertion start sample was Insertion end analyzed and the results of the analyses are the same, the concentration determined by the analyses and, if the results of the analyses are different, the lowest of the concentrations determined by the analyses, Insertion start provided Insertion end that

2008, c. 6, s. 24(5)

(2)Subparagraph 258(1)‍(d)‍(iii) of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • (iii)both samples referred to in subparagraph (i) were taken by a qualified medical practitioner or a qualified technician,

2008, c. 6, s. 24(5)

(3)The portion of paragraph 258(1)‍(d) of the English version of the Act after subparagraph (v) is repealed.

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 36

(4)Subparagraphs 258(1)‍(h)‍(ii) and (iii) of the Act are replaced by the following:

  • (ii)a certificate of a qualified technician stating

    • Insertion start (A) Insertion end that Insertion start they Insertion end took the sample and before the sample was taken Insertion start they were Insertion end of the opinion that Insertion start taking it would not endanger Insertion end the Insertion start accused’s life Insertion end or health and,

    • Insertion start (B) Insertion end the facts referred to in clauses (i)‍(B) to (D)

2008, c. 6, s. 24(9)

(5)Subsection 258(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Evidence of failure to give sample

(2)Unless a person is required to give a sample of a bodily substance under paragraph 254(2)‍(b) Insertion start or (c) Insertion end or subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4), evidence that they failed or refused to give a sample for analysis for the purposes of this section or that a sample was not taken is not admissible and the failure, refusal or fact that a sample was not taken shall not be the subject of comment by any person in the proceedings.

2008, c. 6, s. 24(9)

(6)Subsection 258(5) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Testing of blood — alcohol and drugs

(5) Insertion start Samples Insertion end of an accused’s blood taken or Insertion start obtained Insertion end in the Insertion start course Insertion end of Insertion start an investigation Insertion end of Insertion start an offence Insertion end under section Insertion start 253 Insertion end may be Insertion start analyzed Insertion end to determine the accused’s blood alcohol concentration or blood drug concentration, Insertion start or both Insertion end .

2008, c. 6, s. 25

8(1)Subsection 258.‍1(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Unauthorized use of bodily substance

258.‍1(1)Subject to subsection (3) and subsections 258(4) and (5), no person shall use a bodily substance taken under paragraph 254(2)‍(b) Insertion start or (c) Insertion end , subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the consent of the person from whom it was taken after a request by a peace officer or medical samples that are provided by consent and subsequently seized under a warrant, except for the purpose of an analysis that is referred to in that provision or for which the consent is given.

2008, c. 6, s. 25

(2)The portion of subsection 258.‍1(2) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Unauthorized use or disclosure of results

(2)Subject to subsections (3) and (4), no person shall use, disclose or allow the disclosure of the results of physical coordination tests under paragraph 254(2)‍(a), the results of an evaluation under Insertion start paragraph Insertion end 254(3.‍1) Insertion start (a) Insertion end , the results of the analysis of a bodily substance taken under paragraph 254(2)‍(b) Insertion start or (c) Insertion end , subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the consent of the person from whom it was taken after a request by a peace officer, or the results of the analysis of medical samples that are provided by consent and subsequently seized under a warrant, except

2008, c. 6, s. 26(1)

9(1)The portion of subsection 259(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Mandatory order of prohibition

259(1) Insertion start If Insertion end an offender is convicted of an offence committed under section 253, Insertion start other than an offence under paragraph 253(3)‍(b) Insertion end , or Insertion start under section Insertion end 254 or this section or discharged under section 730 of an offence committed under section 253, Insertion start other than an offence under subsection 253(3)‍(b) Insertion end , and, at the time the offence was committed or, in the case of an offence committed under section 254, within the three hours preceding that time, was operating or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or of railway equipment or was assisting in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment, the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place, or from operating a vessel or an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be,

(2)Section 259 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1):

Discretionary order of prohibition
Start of inserted block

(1.‍01)If an offender is convicted of an offence committed under paragraph 253(3)‍(b) or discharged under section 730 of such an offence and, at the time the offence was committed, was operating or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or of railway equipment or was assisting in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment, the court that sentences the offender may, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place, or from operating a vessel or an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be, during a period of not more than one year.

End of inserted block

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 36

(3)Subsection 259(3) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Saving

(3)No order made under subsection (1), Insertion start (1.‍01) Insertion end or (2) shall operate to prevent any person from acting as master, mate or engineer of a vessel that is required to carry officers holding certificates as master, mate or engineer.

2006, c. 14, s. 3(3)

(4)Subsection 259(5) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Definition of disqualification

(5)For the purposes of this section, disqualification means

  • (a)a prohibition from operating a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or any railway equipment ordered Insertion start under Insertion end any of subsections (1), Insertion start (1.‍01) Insertion end , (2) and (3.‍1) to (3.‍4); or

  • (b)in respect of a conviction or discharge under section 730 of any offence referred to in any of subsections (1), Insertion start (1.‍01) Insertion end , (2) and (3.‍1) to (3.‍4), a disqualification or any other form of legal restriction of the right or privilege to operate a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft imposed

    • (i)in the case of a motor vehicle, under the law of a province, Insertion start and Insertion end

    • (ii)in the case of a vessel or an aircraft, under an Act of Parliament.

Transitional Provision

Approved instrument, approved screening device, approved container

10Any approved instrument, approved screening device or approved container approved under subsection 254(1) of the Criminal Code, as it read immediately before the day on which subsection 3(1) of this Act comes into force, is deemed to be approved as an approved instrument, approved screening device or approved container, respectively, under section 254.‍01 of the Criminal Code as enacted by section 4 of this Act.

R.‍S.‍, c. 1 (2nd Supp.‍)

Consequential Amendment to the Customs Act

2008, c. 6, s. 59

11Subsection 163.‍5(2) of the Customs Act is replaced by the following:

Impaired driving offences

(2)A designated officer who is at a customs office performing the normal duties of an officer or is acting in accordance with section 99.‍1 has the powers and obligations of a peace officer under sections 254 and 256 of the Criminal Code. If, by demand, they require a person to provide samples of blood or breath under subsection 254(3) of that Act, or to submit to an evaluation Insertion start or to provide samples of blood Insertion end under subsection 254(3.‍1) of that Act, they may also require the person to accompany a peace officer referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition peace officer in section 2 of that Act, for that purpose.

PART 2
Offences Relating to Conveyances — Alcohol and Drugs

R.‍S.‍, c. C-46

Amendments to the Criminal Code

2006, c. 14, s. 1

12The definition street racing in section 2 of the Criminal Code is repealed.

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 33; R.‍S.‍, c. 32 (4th Supp.‍), s. 56

13The definitions aircraft, operate and vessel in section 214 of the Act are repealed.

14The heading before section 249 and sections 249 to 261 of the Act are repealed.

15The Act is amended by adding the following after section 320.‍1:

Start of inserted block
Part VIII.‍1
Offences Relating to Conveyances
Interpretation
End of inserted block
Definitions
Start of inserted block

320.‍11The following definitions apply in this Part.

analyst means a person who is, or a person who is a member of a class of persons that is, designated by the Attorney General under subparagraph 320.‍4(b)‍(ii) or paragraph 320.‍4(c). (analyste)

approved container means a container that is designed to receive a sample of a person’s blood for analysis and that is approved by the Attorney General of Canada under paragraph 320.‍39(d). (contenant approuvé)

approved drug screening equipment means equipment that is designed to ascertain the presence of a drug in a person’s body and that is approved by the Attorney General of Canada under paragraph 320.‍39(b). (matériel de détection des drogues approuvé)

approved instrument means an instrument that is designed to receive and make an analysis of a sample of a person’s breath to determine their blood alcohol concentration and that is approved by the Attorney General of Canada under paragraph 320.‍39(c). (éthylomètre approuvé)

approved screening device means a device that is designed to ascertain the presence of alcohol in a person’s blood and that is approved by the Attorney General of Canada under paragraph 320.‍39(a). (appareil de détection approuvé)

conveyance means a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment. (moyen de transport)

evaluating officer means a peace officer who has the qualifications prescribed by regulation that are required in order to act as an evaluating officer. (agent évaluateur)

operate means

  • (a)in respect of a motor vehicle, to drive it or to have care or control of it;

  • (b)in respect of a vessel or aircraft, to navigate it, to assist in its navigation or to have care or control of it; and

  • (c)in respect of railway equipment, to participate in the direct control of its motion, or to have care or control of it as a member of the equipment’s crew, as a person who acts in lieu of a member of the equipment’s crew by remote control, or otherwise. (conduire)

qualified medical practitioner means a person who is qualified under provincial law to practise medicine. (médecin qualifié)

qualified technician means

  • (a)in respect of breath samples, a person who is designated by the Attorney General under paragraph 320.‍4(a); and

  • (b)in respect of blood samples, a person who is, or a person who is a member of a class of persons that is, designated by the Attorney General under subparagraph 320.‍4(b)‍(i). (technicien qualifié)

vessel includes a hovercraft, but does not include a vessel that is propelled exclusively by means of muscular power. (bateau)

End of inserted block Start of inserted block
Recognition and Declaration
End of inserted block
Recognition and declaration
Start of inserted block

320.‍12It is recognized and declared that

  • (a)operating a conveyance is a privilege that is subject to certain limits in the interests of public safety that include licensing, the observance of rules and sobriety;

  • (b)the protection of society is well served by deterring persons from operating conveyances dangerously or while their ability to operate them is impaired by alcohol or a drug, because that conduct poses a threat to the life, health and safety of Canadians;

  • (c)the analysis of a sample of a person’s breath by means of an approved instrument produces reliable and accurate readings of blood alcohol concentration; and

  • (d)an evaluation conducted by an evaluating officer is a reliable method of determining whether a person’s ability to operate a conveyance is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug.

    End of inserted block
Start of inserted block
Offences and Punishment
End of inserted block
Dangerous operation
Start of inserted block

320.‍13(1)Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance in a manner that, having regard to all of the circumstances, is dangerous to the public.

End of inserted block
Operation causing bodily harm
Start of inserted block

(2)Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance in a manner that, having regard to all of the circumstances, is dangerous to the public and, as a result, causes bodily harm to another person.

End of inserted block
Operation causing death
Start of inserted block

(3)Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance in a manner that, having regard to all of the circumstances, is dangerous to the public and, as a result, causes the death of another person.

End of inserted block
Operation while impaired
Start of inserted block

320.‍14(1)Everyone commits an offence who

  • (a)operates a conveyance while the person’s ability to operate it is impaired to any degree by alcohol or a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug;

  • (b)subject to subsection (5), has, within two hours after ceasing to operate a conveyance, a blood alcohol concentration that is equal to or exceeds 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood;

  • (c)subject to subsection (6), has, within two hours after ceasing to operate a conveyance, a blood drug concentration that is equal to or exceeds the blood drug concentration for the drug that is prescribed by regulation; or

  • (d)subject to subsection (7), has, within two hours after ceasing to operate a conveyance, a blood alcohol concentration and a blood drug concentration that is equal to or exceeds the blood alcohol concentration and the blood drug concentration for the drug that are prescribed by regulation for instances where alcohol and that drug are combined.

    End of inserted block
Operation causing bodily harm
Start of inserted block

(2)Everyone commits an offence who commits an offence under subsection (1) and who, while operating the conveyance, causes bodily harm to another person.

End of inserted block
Operation causing death
Start of inserted block

(3)Everyone commits an offence who commits an offence under subsection (1) and who, while operating the conveyance, causes the death of another person.

End of inserted block
Operation — low blood drug concentration
Start of inserted block

(4)Subject to subsection (6), everyone commits an offence who has, within two hours after ceasing to operate a conveyance, a blood drug concentration that is equal to or exceeds the blood drug concentration for the drug that is prescribed by regulation and that is less than the concentration prescribed for the purposes of paragraph (1)‍(c).

End of inserted block
Exception — alcohol
Start of inserted block

(5)No person commits an offence under paragraph (1)‍(b) if

  • (a)they consumed alcohol after ceasing to operate the conveyance;

  • (b)after ceasing to operate the conveyance, they had no reasonable expectation that they would be required to provide a sample of breath or blood; and

  • (c)their alcohol consumption is consistent with their blood alcohol concentration as determined in accordance with subsection 320.‍31(1) or (2) and with their having had, at the time when they were operating the conveyance, a blood alcohol concentration that was less than 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood.

    End of inserted block
Exception — drugs
Start of inserted block

(6)No person commits an offence under paragraph (1)‍(c) or subsection (4) if

  • (a)they consumed the drug after ceasing to operate the conveyance; and

  • (b)after ceasing to operate the conveyance, they had no reasonable expectation that they would be required to provide a sample of a bodily substance.

    End of inserted block
Exception — combination of alcohol and drug
Start of inserted block

(7)No person commits an offence under paragraph (1)‍(d) if

  • (a)they consumed the drug or the alcohol or both after ceasing to operate the conveyance;

  • (b)after ceasing to operate the conveyance, they had no reasonable expectation that they would be required to provide a sample of a bodily substance; and

  • (c)their alcohol consumption is consistent with their blood alcohol concentration as determined in accordance with subsection 320.‍31(1) or (2) and with their having had, at the time when they were operating the conveyance, a blood alcohol concentration less than the blood alcohol concentration established under paragraph 320.‍38(c).

    End of inserted block
Failure or refusal to comply with demand
Start of inserted block

320.‍15(1)Everyone commits an offence who, knowing that a demand has been made, fails or refuses to comply, without reasonable excuse, with a demand made under section 320.‍27 or 320.‍28.

End of inserted block
Accident resulting in bodily harm
Start of inserted block

(2)Everyone commits an offence who commits an offence under subsection (1) and who, at the time of the failure or refusal, knows that, or is reckless as to whether, they were involved in an accident that resulted in bodily harm to another person.

End of inserted block
Accident resulting in death
Start of inserted block

(3)Everyone commits an offence who commits an offence under subsection (1) and who, at the time of the failure or refusal, knows that, or is reckless as to whether, they were involved in an accident that resulted in the death of another person or in bodily harm to another person whose death ensues.

End of inserted block
Only one conviction
Start of inserted block

(4)A person who is convicted of an offence under this section is not to be convicted of another offence under this section with respect to the same transaction.

End of inserted block
Failure to stop after accident
Start of inserted block

320.‍16(1)Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance and who at the time of operating the conveyance knows that, or is reckless as to whether, the conveyance has been involved in an accident with another person or another conveyance and who fails, without reasonable excuse, to stop the conveyance, give their name and address and, if any person has been injured or appears to require assistance, offer assistance.

End of inserted block
Accident resulting in bodily harm
Start of inserted block

(2)Everyone commits an offence who commits an offence under subsection (1) and who at the time of committing the offence knows that, or is reckless as to whether, the accident resulted in bodily harm to another person.

End of inserted block
Accident resulting in death
Start of inserted block

(3)Everyone commits an offence who commits an offence under subsection (1) and who, at the time of committing the offence, knows that, or is reckless as to whether, the accident resulted in the death of another person or in bodily harm to another person whose death ensues.

End of inserted block
Flight from peace officer
Start of inserted block

320.‍17Everyone commits an offence who operates a motor vehicle or vessel while being pursued by a peace officer and who fails, without reasonable excuse, to stop the motor vehicle or vessel as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.

End of inserted block
Operation while prohibited
Start of inserted block

320.‍18(1)Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance while prohibited from doing so

  • (a)by an order made under this Act; or

  • (b)by any other form of legal restriction imposed under any other Act of Parliament or under provincial law in respect of a conviction under this Act.

    End of inserted block
Exception
Start of inserted block

(2)No person commits an offence under subsection (1) arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle if they are registered in an alcohol ignition interlock device program established under the law of the province in which they reside and they comply with the conditions of the program.

End of inserted block
Punishment
Start of inserted block

320.‍19(1)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.‍14(1) or 320.‍15(1) is liable on conviction on indictment or on summary conviction

  • (a)to the following minimum punishment, namely,

    • (i)for a first offence, a fine of $1,000,

    • (ii)for a second offence, imprisonment for a term of 30 days, and

    • (iii)for each subsequent offence, imprisonment for a term of 120 days;

  • (b)if the offence is prosecuted by indictment, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years; and

  • (c)if the offence is punishable on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day.

    End of inserted block
Summary conviction
Start of inserted block

(2)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.‍14(4) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $1,000.

End of inserted block
Minimum fines for high blood alcohol concentrations
Start of inserted block

(3)Despite subparagraph (1)‍(a)‍(i), everyone who commits an offence under paragraph 320.‍14(1)‍(b) is liable, for a first offence punishable on summary conviction, to

  • (a)a fine of not less than $1,500, if the person’s blood alcohol concentration is equal to or exceeds 120 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood but is less than 160 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood; and

  • (b)a fine of not less than $2,000, if the person’s blood alcohol concentration is equal to or exceeds 160 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood.

    End of inserted block
Minimum fine — subsection 320.‍15(1)
Start of inserted block

(4)Despite subparagraph (1)‍(a)‍(i), everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.‍15(1) is liable, for a first offence punishable on summary conviction, to a fine of not less than $2,000.

End of inserted block
Punishment — dangerous operation and other offences
Start of inserted block

(5)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.‍13(1) or 320.‍16(1), section 320.‍17 or subsection 320.‍18(1) is liable

  • (a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years; or

  • (b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day.

    End of inserted block
Punishment in case of bodily harm
Start of inserted block

320.‍2Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.‍13(2), 320.‍14(2), 320.‍15(2) or 320.‍16(2) is liable

  • (a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 14 years; or

  • (b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day.

    End of inserted block
Punishment in case of death
Start of inserted block

320.‍21Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 320.‍13(3), 320.‍14(3), 320.‍15(3) or 320.‍16(3) is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.

End of inserted block
Aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes
Start of inserted block

320.‍22A court imposing a sentence for an offence under any of sections 320.‍13 to 320.‍18 shall consider, in addition to any other aggravating circumstances, the following:

  • (a)the commission of the offence resulted in bodily harm to, or the death of, more than one person;

  • (b)the offender was operating a motor vehicle in a race with at least one other motor vehicle or in a contest of speed, on a street, road or highway or in another public place;

  • (c)a person under the age of 16 years was a passenger in the conveyance operated by the offender;

  • (d)the offender was being remunerated for operating the conveyance;

  • (e)the offender’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of committing the offence was equal to or exceeded 120 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood;

  • (f)the offender was operating a large motor vehicle; and

  • (g)the offender was not permitted, under a federal or provincial Act, to operate the conveyance.

    End of inserted block
Delay of sentencing
Start of inserted block

320.‍23(1)The court may, with the consent of the prosecutor and the offender, and after considering the interests of justice, delay sentencing of an offender who has been found guilty of an offence under subsection 320.‍14(1) or 320.‍15(1) to allow the offender to attend a treatment program approved by the province in which the offender resides. If the court delays sentencing, it shall make an order prohibiting the offender from operating, before sentencing, the type of conveyance in question, in which case subsections 320.‍24(6) to (9) apply.

End of inserted block
Exception to minimum punishment
Start of inserted block

(2)If the offender successfully completes the treatment program, the court is not required to impose the minimum punishment under section 320.‍19 or to make a prohibition order under section 320.‍24, but it shall not direct a discharge under section 730.

End of inserted block
Mandatory prohibition order
Start of inserted block

320.‍24(1)If an offender is found guilty of an offence under subsection 320.‍14(1) or 320.‍15(1), the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating the type of conveyance in question during a period to be determined in accordance with subsection (2).

End of inserted block
Prohibition period
Start of inserted block

(2)The prohibition period is

  • (a)for a first offence, not less than one year and not more than three years, plus the entire period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment;

  • (b)for a second offence, not less than two years and not more than 10 years, plus the entire period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment; and

  • (c)for each subsequent offence, not less than three years, plus the entire period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment.

    End of inserted block
Discretionary order of prohibition — low blood drug concentration
Start of inserted block

(3)If an offender is found guilty of an offence under subsection 320.‍14(4), the court that sentences the offender may, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating the type of conveyance in question during a period of not more than one year.

End of inserted block
Discretionary order of prohibition — other offences
Start of inserted block

(4)If an offender is found guilty of an offence under section 320.‍13, subsection 320.‍14(2) or (3), 320.‍15(2) or (3) or under any of sections 320.‍16 to 320.‍18, the court that sentences the offender may, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating the type of conveyance in question during a period to be determined in accordance with subsection (5).

End of inserted block
Prohibition period
Start of inserted block

(5)The prohibition period is

  • (a)if the offender is liable to imprisonment for life in respect of that offence, of any duration that the court considers appropriate, plus the entire period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment;

  • (b)if the offender is liable to imprisonment for more than five years but less than life in respect of that offence, not more than 10 years, plus the entire period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment; and

  • (c)in any other case, not more than three years, plus the entire period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment.

    End of inserted block
Obligation of court
Start of inserted block

(6)A court that makes a prohibition order under this section shall cause the order to be read by or to the offender or a copy of the order to be given to the offender.

End of inserted block
Validity of prohibition order not affected
Start of inserted block

(7)A failure to comply with subsection (6) does not affect the validity of the prohibition order.

End of inserted block
Application — public place
Start of inserted block

(8)A prohibition order in respect of a motor vehicle applies only to its operation on a street, road or highway or in any other public place.

End of inserted block
Consecutive prohibition periods
Start of inserted block

(9)If the offender is, at the time of the commission of the offence, subject to an order made under this Act prohibiting the offender from operating a conveyance, a court that makes a prohibition order under this section that prohibits the offender from operating the same type of conveyance may order that the prohibition order be served consecutively to that order.

End of inserted block
Minimum absolute prohibition period
Start of inserted block

(10)A person may not be registered in an alcohol ignition interlock device program referred to in subsection 320.‍18(2) until the expiry of

  • (a)in the case of a first offence, a period, if any, that may be fixed by order of the court;

  • (b)in the case of a second offence, a period of three months after the day on which the sentence is imposed or any longer period that may be fixed by order of the court; and

  • (c)in the case of a subsequent offence, a period of six months after the day on which the sentence is imposed or any longer period that may be fixed by order of the court.

    End of inserted block
Stay of order pending appeal
Start of inserted block

320.‍25(1)Subject to subsection (2), if an appeal is taken against a conviction or sentence for an offence under any of sections 320.‍13 to 320.‍18, a judge of the court to which the appeal is taken may direct that the prohibition order under section 320.‍24 arising out of the conviction shall, on any conditions that the judge imposes, be stayed pending the final disposition of the appeal or until otherwise ordered by that court.

End of inserted block
Appeals to Supreme Court of Canada
Start of inserted block

(2)In the case of an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, a direction may be made only by a judge of the court from which the appeal was taken.

End of inserted block
Effect of conditions
Start of inserted block

(3)The imposition of conditions on a stay of a prohibition order does not operate to decrease the prohibition period provided in the prohibition order.

End of inserted block
Earlier and subsequent offences
Start of inserted block

320.‍26In determining, for the purpose of imposing a sentence for an offence under subsection 320.‍14(1) or 320.‍15(1), whether the offence is a second, third or subsequent offence, any of the following offences for which the offender was previously convicted is considered to be an earlier offence:

  • (a)an offence under subsection 320.‍14(1) or section 320.‍15; or

  • (b)an offence under any of sections 253, 254 and 255, as those sections read from time to time before the day on which this section comes into force.

    End of inserted block
Start of inserted block
Investigative Matters
End of inserted block
Testing for presence of alcohol or drug
Start of inserted block

320.‍27(1)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has alcohol or a drug in their body and that the person has, within the preceding three hours, operated a conveyance, the peace officer may, by demand, require the person to comply with the requirements of either or both of paragraphs (a) and (b) in the case of alcohol or with the requirements of either or both of paragraphs (a) and (c) in the case of a drug:

  • (a)to immediately perform the physical coordination tests prescribed by regulation and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose;

  • (b)to immediately provide the samples of breath that, in the peace officer’s opinion, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved screening device and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose;

  • (c)to immediately provide the samples of a bodily substance that, in the peace officer’s opinion, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made by means of approved drug screening equipment and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

    End of inserted block
Mandatory alcohol screening
Start of inserted block

(2)If a peace officer has in his or her possession an approved screening device, the peace officer may, in the course of the lawful exercise of powers under an Act of Parliament or an Act of a provincial legislature or arising at common law, by demand, require the person who is operating a motor vehicle to immediately provide the samples of breath that, in the peace officer’s opinion, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made by means of that device and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

End of inserted block
Samples of breath or blood — alcohol
Start of inserted block

320.‍28(1)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has operated a conveyance while the person’s ability to operate it was impaired to any degree by alcohol or has committed an offence under paragraph 320.‍14(1)‍(b), the peace officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable,

  • (a)require the person to provide, as soon as practicable,

    • (i)the samples of breath that, in a qualified technician’s opinion, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved instrument, or

    • (ii)if the peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that, because of their physical condition, the person may be incapable of providing a sample of breath or it would be impracticable to take one, the samples of blood that, in the opinion of the qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician taking the samples, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made to determine the person’s blood alcohol concentration; and

  • (b)require the person to accompany the peace officer for the purpose of taking samples of that person’s breath or blood.

    End of inserted block
Evaluation and samples of blood — drugs
Start of inserted block

(2)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has operated a conveyance while the person’s ability to operate it was impaired to any degree by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, or has committed an offence under paragraph 320.‍14(1)‍(c) or (d) or subsection 320.‍14(4), the peace officer may, by demand, made as soon as practicable, require the person to comply with the requirements of either or both of paragraphs (a) and (b):

  • (a)to submit, as soon as practicable, to an evaluation conducted by an evaluating officer to determine whether the person’s ability to operate a conveyance is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose; or

  • (b)to provide, as soon as practicable, the samples of blood that, in the opinion of the qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician taking the samples, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made to determine the person’s blood drug concentration, or the person’s blood drug concentration and blood alcohol concentration, as the case may be, and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

    End of inserted block
Samples of breath — alcohol
Start of inserted block

(3)An evaluating officer who has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has alcohol in their body may, if a demand was not made under subsection (1), by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable, the samples of breath that, in a qualified technician’s opinion, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved instrument.

End of inserted block
Samples of bodily substances
Start of inserted block

(4)If, on completion of the evaluation, the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to believe that one or more of the types of drugs set out in subsection (5) — or that a combination of alcohol and one or more of those types of drugs — is impairing the person’s ability to operate a conveyance, the evaluating officer shall identify the type or types of drugs in question and may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable,

  • (a)a sample of oral fluid or urine that, in the evaluating officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made to ascertain the presence in the person’s body of one or more of the types of drugs set out in subsection (5); or

  • (b)the samples of blood that, in the opinion of the qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician taking the samples, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made to ascertain the presence in the person’s body of one or more of the types of drugs set out in subsection (5) or to determine the person’s blood drug concentration for one or more of those types of drugs.

    End of inserted block
Types of drugs
Start of inserted block

(5)For the purpose of subsection (4), the types of drugs are the following:

  • (a)a depressant;

  • (b)an inhalant;

  • (c)a dissociative anaesthetic;

  • (d)cannabis;

  • (e)a stimulant;

  • (f)a hallucinogen; or

  • (g)a narcotic analgesic.

    End of inserted block
Condition
Start of inserted block

(6)A sample of blood may be taken from a person under this section only by a qualified medical practitioner or a qualified technician, and only if they are satisfied that taking the sample would not endanger the person’s health.

End of inserted block
Approved containers
Start of inserted block

(7)A sample of blood shall be received into an approved container that shall be subsequently sealed.

End of inserted block
Retained sample
Start of inserted block

(8)A person who takes samples of blood under this section shall cause one of the samples to be retained for the purpose of analysis by or on behalf of the person from whom the blood samples were taken.

End of inserted block
Validity of analysis not affected
Start of inserted block

(9)A failure to comply with subsection (7) or (8) does not by itself affect the validity of an analysis made of the sample.

End of inserted block
Release of retained sample
Start of inserted block

(10)A judge of a superior court of criminal jurisdiction or a court of criminal jurisdiction shall, on the summary application of the person from whom samples of blood were taken under this section, made within six months after the day on which the samples were taken, order the release of any sample that was retained to the person for the purpose of examination or analysis, subject to any terms that the judge considers appropriate to ensure that the sample is safeguarded and preserved for use in any proceedings in respect of which it was taken.

End of inserted block
Warrants to obtain blood samples
Start of inserted block

320.‍29(1)A justice may issue a warrant authorizing a peace officer to require a qualified medical practitioner or a qualified technician to take the samples of a person’s blood that, in the opinion of the practitioner or technician taking the samples, are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made to determine the person’s blood alcohol concentration or blood drug concentration, or both, if the justice is satisfied, on an information on oath in Form 1 or on an information on oath submitted to the justice by telephone or other means of telecommunication, that

  • (a)there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person has, within the preceding eight hours, operated a conveyance that was involved in an accident that resulted in bodily harm to themselves or another person or in the death of another person;

  • (b)there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the person has alcohol or a drug in their body; and

  • (c)a qualified medical practitioner is of the opinion that

    • (i)by reason of any physical or mental condition of the person, the person is unable to consent to the taking of samples of their blood, and

    • (ii)the taking of samples of the person’s blood will not endanger their health.

      End of inserted block
Form
Start of inserted block

(2)A warrant issued under subsection (1) may be in Form 5 or 5.‍1, varied to suit the case.

End of inserted block
Procedure — telephone or other means of telecommunication
Start of inserted block

(3)Section 487.‍1 applies, with any modifications that the circumstances require, in respect of an application for a warrant that is submitted by telephone or other means of telecommunication.

End of inserted block
Duration of warrant
Start of inserted block

(4)Samples of blood may be taken from a person under a warrant issued under subsection (1) only during the time that a qualified medical practitioner is satisfied that the conditions referred to in subparagraphs (1)‍(c)‍(i) and (ii) continue to exist.

End of inserted block
Copy or facsimile to person
Start of inserted block

(5)If a warrant issued under subsection (1) is executed, the peace officer shall, as soon as practicable, give a copy of it — or, in the case of a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication, a facsimile — to the person from whom the samples of blood are taken.

End of inserted block
Taking of samples
Start of inserted block

(6)Subsections 320.‍28(7) to (10) apply with respect to the taking of samples of blood under this section.

End of inserted block
Testing blood — drug or alcohol
Start of inserted block

320.‍3Samples of a person’s blood that are taken for the purposes of this Part may be analyzed to determine the person’s blood alcohol concentration or blood drug concentration, or both.

End of inserted block Start of inserted block
Evidentiary Matters
End of inserted block
Breath samples
Start of inserted block

320.‍31(1)If samples of a person’s breath have been received into an approved instrument operated by a qualified technician, the results of the analyses of the samples are conclusive proof of the person’s blood alcohol concentration at the time when the analyses were made if the results of the analyses are the same — or, if the results of the analyses are different, the lowest of the results is conclusive proof of the person’s blood alcohol concentration at the time when the analyses were made — if

  • (a)before each sample was taken, the qualified technician conducted a system blank test the result of which is not more than 10 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood and a system calibration check the result of which is within 10% of the target value of an alcohol standard that is certified by an analyst;

  • (b)there was an interval of at least 15 minutes between the times when the samples were taken; and

  • (c)the results of the analyses, rounded down to the nearest multiple of 10 mg, did not differ by more than 20 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood.

    End of inserted block
Blood samples — concentration when sample taken
Start of inserted block

(2)The result of an analysis made by an analyst of a sample of a person’s blood is proof of their blood alcohol concentration or their blood drug concentration, as the case may be, at the time when the sample was taken in the absence of evidence tending to show that the analysis was performed improperly.

End of inserted block
Evidence not included
Start of inserted block

(3)Evidence of the following does not constitute evidence tending to show that an analysis of a sample of a person’s blood was performed improperly:

  • (a)the amount of alcohol or a drug that they consumed;

  • (b)the rate at which the alcohol or the drug would have been absorbed or eliminated by their body; or

  • (c)a calculation based on the evidence referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of what their blood alcohol concentration or blood drug concentration would have been at the time the sample was taken.

    End of inserted block
Presumption — blood alcohol concentration
Start of inserted block

(4)For the purpose of paragraphs 320.‍14(1)‍(b) and (d), if the first of the samples of breath was taken, or the sample of blood was taken, more than two hours after the person ceased to operate the conveyance, the person’s blood alcohol concentration is conclusively presumed to be the concentration established in accordance with subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be, plus an additional 5 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood for every interval of 30 minutes in excess of those two hours.

End of inserted block
Admissibility of evaluating officer’s opinion
Start of inserted block

(5)An evaluating officer’s opinion relating to the impairment, by a type of drug that they identified, or by a combination of alcohol and that type of drug, of a person’s ability to operate a conveyance is admissible in evidence without qualifying the evaluating officer as an expert.

End of inserted block
Presumption — drug
Start of inserted block

(6)If the analysis of a sample provided under subsection 320.‍28(4) demonstrates that the person has a drug in their body that is of a type that the evaluating officer has identified as impairing the person’s ability to operate a conveyance, that drug — or, if the person has also consumed alcohol, the combination of alcohol and that drug — is presumed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to be the drug, or the combination of alcohol and that drug, that was present in the person’s body at the time when the person operated the conveyance and, on proof of the person’s impairment, to have been the cause of that impairment.

End of inserted block
Admissibility of result of analysis
Start of inserted block

(7)The result of an analysis of a sample of a person’s breath, blood, urine or other bodily substance that they were not required to provide under this Part may be admitted in evidence even if the person was not warned before they provided the sample that they were not required to do so or that the result of the analysis of the sample might be used in evidence.

End of inserted block
Evidence of failure to provide sample
Start of inserted block

(8)Unless a person is required to provide a sample of a bodily substance under this Part, evidence that they failed or refused to provide a sample for analysis or that a sample was not taken is not admissible and the failure, refusal or fact that a sample was not taken shall not be the subject of comment by any person in any proceedings under this Part.

End of inserted block
Admissibility of statement
Start of inserted block

(9)A statement made by a person to a peace officer, including a statement compelled under a provincial Act, is admissible in evidence for the purpose of justifying a demand made under section 320.‍27.

End of inserted block
Evidence of failure to comply with demand
Start of inserted block

(10)In any proceedings in respect of an offence under section 320.‍14, evidence that the accused, without reasonable excuse, failed or refused to comply with a demand made under section 320.‍27 or 320.‍28 is admissible and the court may draw an inference adverse to the accused from that evidence.

End of inserted block
Certificates
Start of inserted block

320.‍32(1)A certificate of an analyst, qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician made under this Part is evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person who signed the certificate.

End of inserted block
Notice of intention to produce certificate
Start of inserted block

(2)No certificate shall be received in evidence unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the other party reasonable notice of their intention to produce it and a copy of the certificate.

End of inserted block
Attendance and cross-examination
Start of inserted block

(3)A party against whom the certificate is produced may apply to the court for an order requiring the attendance of the person who signed the certificate for the purposes of cross-examination.

End of inserted block
Form and content of application
Start of inserted block

(4)The application shall be made in writing and set out the likely relevance of the proposed cross-examination with respect to the facts alleged in the certificate. A copy of the application shall be given to the prosecutor at least 30 days before the day on which the application is to be heard.

End of inserted block
Time of hearing
Start of inserted block

(5)The hearing of the application shall be held at least 30 days before the day on which the trial is to be held.

End of inserted block
Certificate admissible in evidence
Start of inserted block

(6)In proceedings in respect of an offence under subsection 320.‍18(1), the following certificates are evidence of the facts alleged in them without proof of the signature or official character of the person who signed them:

  • (a)a certificate setting out with reasonable particularity that the person named in it is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle in the province specified in the certificate, signed by the person who is responsible for the registration of motor vehicles in that province or any person authorized by the responsible person to sign it; and

  • (b)a certificate setting out with reasonable particularity that the person named in it is prohibited from operating a conveyance other than a motor vehicle, signed by the Minister of Transport or any person authorized by him or her to sign it.

    End of inserted block
Onus
Start of inserted block

(7)If it is proved that a prohibition under paragraph 320.‍18(1)‍(b) has been imposed on a person and that notice of the prohibition has been mailed to them at their last known address, that person is, beginning on the tenth day after the day on which the notice is mailed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, presumed to have received the notice and to have knowledge of the prohibition, of the date of its commencement and of its duration.

End of inserted block
Printout from approved instrument
Start of inserted block

320.‍33A document that is printed out from an approved instrument and signed by a qualified technician who certifies it to be the printout produced by the approved instrument when it made an analysis of a sample of a person’s breath is evidence of the facts alleged in the document without proof of the signature or official character of the person who signed it.

End of inserted block
Disclosure of information
Start of inserted block

320.‍34(1)In proceedings in respect of an offence under section 320.‍14, the prosecutor shall disclose to the accused, with respect to any samples of breath that the accused provided under section 320.‍28, information sufficient to determine whether the conditions set out in paragraphs 320.‍31(1)‍(a) to (c) have been met, namely:

  • (a)the results of the system blank tests;

  • (b)the results of the system calibration checks;

  • (c)any messages produced by the approved instrument at the time the samples were taken;

  • (d)the results of the analysis of the accused’s breath samples; and

  • (e)a certificate of an analyst stating that the sample of an alcohol standard that is identified in the certificate is suitable for use with an approved instrument.

    End of inserted block
Application for further disclosure
Start of inserted block

(2)The accused may apply to the court for a hearing to determine whether further information should be disclosed.

End of inserted block
Form and content of application
Start of inserted block

(3)The application shall be in writing and set out detailed particulars of the information that the accused seeks to have disclosed and the likely relevance of that information to determining whether the approved instrument was in proper working order. A copy of the application shall be given to the prosecutor at least 30 days before the day on which the application is to be heard.

End of inserted block
Time of hearing
Start of inserted block

(4)The hearing of the application shall be held at least 30 days before the day on which the trial is to be held.

End of inserted block
For greater certainty
Start of inserted block

(5)For greater certainty, nothing in this section limits the disclosure to which the accused may otherwise be entitled.

End of inserted block
Presumption of operation
Start of inserted block

320.‍35In proceedings in respect of an offence under section 320.‍14 or 320.‍15, if it is proved that the accused occupied the seat or position ordinarily occupied by a person who operates a conveyance, the accused is presumed to have been operating the conveyance unless they establish that they did not occupy that seat or position for the purpose of setting the conveyance in motion.

End of inserted block Start of inserted block
General Provisions
End of inserted block
Unauthorized use of bodily substance
Start of inserted block

320.‍36(1)No person shall use a bodily substance obtained under this Part for any purpose other than for an analysis under this Part.

End of inserted block
Unauthorized use or disclosure of results
Start of inserted block

(2)No person shall use, disclose or allow the disclosure of the results obtained under this Part of any evaluation, physical coordination test or analysis of a bodily substance, except for the purpose of the administration or enforcement of a federal or provincial Act.

End of inserted block
Exception
Start of inserted block

(3)The results of an evaluation, test or analysis referred to in subsection (2) may be disclosed to the person to whom they relate, and may be disclosed to any other person if the results are made anonymous and the disclosure is made for statistical or research purposes.

End of inserted block
Offence
Start of inserted block

(4)Everyone who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence punishable on summary conviction.

End of inserted block
Refusal to take sample
Start of inserted block

320.‍37(1)No qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician shall be found guilty of an offence by reason only of their refusal to take a sample of blood from a person for the purposes of this Part if they have a reasonable excuse for refusing to do so.

End of inserted block
No liability
Start of inserted block

(2)No qualified medical practitioner, and no qualified technician, who takes a sample of blood from a person under this Part incurs any liability for doing anything necessary to take the sample that was done with reasonable care and skill.

End of inserted block
Regulations
Start of inserted block

320.‍38The Governor in Council may make regulations

  • (a)prescribing the qualifications required for a peace officer to act as an evaluating officer and respecting the training of evaluating officers;

  • (b)prescribing the blood drug concentration for a drug for the purpose of paragraph 320.‍14(1)‍(c);

  • (c)prescribing a blood alcohol concentration and a blood drug concentration for a drug for the purposes of paragraph 320.‍14(1)‍(d);

  • (d)prescribing the blood drug concentration for a drug for the purpose of subsection 320.‍14(4);

  • (e)prescribing the physical coordination tests to be conducted under paragraph 320.‍27(1)‍(a); and

  • (f)prescribing the tests to be conducted and procedures to be followed during an evaluation under paragraph 320.‍28(2)‍(a) and the forms to be used in recording the results of the evaluation.

    End of inserted block
Approval — Attorney General of Canada
Start of inserted block

320.‍39The Attorney General of Canada may, by order, approve

  • (a)a device that is designed to ascertain the presence of alcohol in a person’s blood;

  • (b)equipment that is designed to ascertain the presence of a drug in a person’s body;

  • (c)an instrument that is designed to receive and make an analysis of a sample of a person’s breath to determine their blood alcohol concentration; and

  • (d)a container that is designed to receive a sample of a person’s blood for analysis.

    End of inserted block
Designation — Attorney General
Start of inserted block

320.‍4The Attorney General may designate

  • (a)in respect of breath samples, a person as qualified, for the purposes of this Part, to operate an approved instrument;

  • (b)in respect of blood samples, a person or class of persons as qualified, for the purposes of this Part,

    • (i)to take samples of blood, or

    • (ii)to analyze samples of blood; and

  • (c)a person or class of persons as qualified, for the purposes of this Part, to certify that an alcohol standard is suitable for use with an approved instrument.

    End of inserted block

R.‍S.‍, c. 1 (4th Supp.‍), s. 15(2)

16Subsection 335(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Definition of vessel

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), vessel has the Insertion start same Insertion end meaning Insertion start as in Insertion end section Insertion start 320.‍11 Insertion end .

1992, c. 1, s. 58(1) (Sch. 1, s. 7)

17Subsection 461(3) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Notice of intention to produce certificate
Start of inserted block

(3)No certificate shall be received in evidence unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the other party reasonable notice of their intention and a copy of the certificate.

End of inserted block
Attendance and cross-examination
Start of inserted block

(4)A party against whom the certificate is produced may, with leave of the court, require the attendance of the person who signed the certificate for the purposes of cross-examination.

End of inserted block

2005, c. 25, s. 1(7)

18(1)Subparagraph (c)‍(iv) of the definition secondary designated offence in section 487.‍04 of the Act is repealed.

(2)Paragraph (c) of the definition secondary designated offence in section 487.‍04 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subparagraph (viii.‍1):

  • Start of inserted block

    (viii.‍2)subsection 320.‍16(1) (failure to stop after accident),

    End of inserted block

(3)The definition secondary designated offence in section 487.‍04 of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (d) and by adding the following after that paragraph:

  • Start of inserted block

    (d.‍1)an offence under section 252, as it read from time to time before the day on which section 14 of An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts comes into force;

  • (d.‍2)an offence under any of sections 249, 249.‍1, 249.‍2, 249.‍3, 249.‍4, 253, 254 and 255, as they read from time to time before the day on which section 14 of An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts comes into force, that may be prosecuted by indictment or, for section 487.‍051 to apply, is prosecuted by indictment; and

    End of inserted block

2007, c. 22, s. 8(5)

(4)Subparagraph (e)‍(ii) of the definition secondary designated offence in section 487.‍04 of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • (ii)an offence referred to in Insertion start any of paragraphs Insertion end (c) Insertion start to (d.‍2) Insertion end ; (infraction secondaire)

1992, c. 1, s. 58(1) (Sch. I, s. 9(1))

19(1)Subsection 487.‍1(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Telewarrants

487.‍1(1) Insertion start If Insertion end a peace officer believes that an indictable offence has been committed and that it would be impracticable to appear personally before a justice to make Insertion start an Insertion end application for a warrant in accordance with section 487, the peace officer may submit an information on oath by telephone or other means of telecommunication to a justice designated for the purpose by the chief judge of the provincial court having jurisdiction in the matter.

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 69; 1992, c. 1, s. 58(1) (Sch. I, s. 9(2)), s. 59 (Sch. I, s. 18) (E); 1994, c. 44, s. 37(4)

(2)Subsection 487.‍1(5) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Issuing warrant

(5)A justice referred to in subsection (1) may issue a warrant to a peace officer conferring the same authority respecting search and seizure as may be conferred by a warrant issued Insertion start under Insertion end subsection 487(1) Insertion start if Insertion end the justice is satisfied that an information submitted by telephone or other means of telecommunication

  • (a)is in respect of an indictable offence and conforms to the requirements of subsection (4);

  • (b)discloses reasonable grounds for dispensing with an information presented personally and in writing; and

  • (c)discloses reasonable grounds in accordance with paragraph 487(1)‍(a), (b) or (c), as the case may be, for the issuance of a warrant in respect of an indictable offence.

The justice may require that the warrant be executed within the period that Insertion start he Insertion end or Insertion start she Insertion end may order.

1992, c. 1, s. 58(1) (Sch. I, s. 9(3))

(3)Subsections 487.‍1(7) and (8) of the Act are replaced by the following:

Providing facsimile

(7)A peace officer who executes a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication shall, before or as soon as practicable Insertion start after Insertion end entering the place or premises to be searched, give a facsimile of the warrant to any person Insertion start who is Insertion end present and ostensibly in control of the place or premises.

Affixing facsimile

(8)A peace officer who, in any unoccupied place or premises, executes a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication shall, on entering or as soon as practicable Insertion start after entering Insertion end the place or premises, cause a facsimile of the warrant to be suitably affixed in a prominent place within the place or premises.

2000, c. 2, s. 3

20Subsection 662(5) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Conviction for dangerous operation when another offence charged

(5)For greater certainty, Insertion start when Insertion end a count charges an offence under section 220, 221 or 236 arising out of the operation of a Insertion start conveyance Insertion end , and the evidence does not prove Insertion start that Insertion end offence but Insertion start proves Insertion end an offence under section Insertion start 320.‍13 Insertion end , the accused may be convicted of an offence under Insertion start that Insertion end section.

2013, c. 11, s. 2

21Paragraph (b) of the definition sentence in section 673 of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • (b)an order made under subsection 109(1) or 110(1), section 161, subsection 164.‍2(1) or 194(1), section Insertion start 320.‍24 Insertion end or 462.‍37, subsection 491.‍1(2), 730(1) or 737(3) or section 738, 739, 742.‍1, 742.‍3, 743.‍6, 745.‍4 or 745.‍5,

1994, c. 44, s. 68

22The portion of subsection 680(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Review by court of appeal

680(1)A decision made by a judge under section 522 or subsection 524(4) or (5) or a decision made by a judge of the court of appeal under section Insertion start 320.‍25 Insertion end or 679 may, on the direction of the chief justice or acting chief justice of the court of appeal, be reviewed by that court and that court may, if it does not confirm the decision,

2011, c. 7, s. 2

23Subsection 729.‍1(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Definition of analyst

(2)In this section, analyst has the same meaning as in Insertion start section 320.‍11 Insertion end .

1999, c. 32, s. 6

24Paragraph 732.‍1(3)‍(g.‍2) of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • g.‍2)si le lieutenant-gouverneur en conseil de la province où est rendue l’ordonnance de probation a institué un programme visant l’utilisation par le délinquant d’un antidémarreur Insertion start éthylométrique Insertion end et s’il accepte de participer au programme, de se conformer aux modalités Insertion start de celui-ci Insertion end ;

25Paragraph (b) of the definition designated offence in section 752 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subparagraph (xxiii.‍3):

  • Start of inserted block

    (xxiii.‍4)section 320.‍13 (dangerous operation),

  • (xxiii.‍5)subsections 320.‍14(1), (2) and (3) (operation while impaired),

  • (xxiii.‍6)section 320.‍15 (failure or refusal to comply with demand),

  • (xxiii.‍7)section 320.‍16 (failure to stop after accident),

  • (xxiii.‍8)section 320.‍17 (flight from peace officer),

    End of inserted block

2013, c. 11, s. 4

26Paragraph (b) of the definition sentence in section 785 of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • (b)an order made under subsection 109(1) or 110(1), section Insertion start 320.‍24 Insertion end , subsection 730(1) or 737(3) or section 738, 739, 742.‍1 or 742.‍3,

2011, c. 7, s. 12

27Subsection 811.‍1(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Definition of analyst

(2)In this section, analyst has the same meaning as in Insertion start section 320.‍11 Insertion end .

1999, c. 5, s. 45

28Part XXVIII of the Act is amended by replacing the references after the form headings in the following forms with “(Sections 320.‍29 and 487)”:

  • (a)Form 1;

  • (b)Form 5.

2014, c. 25, s. 32

29(1)Subparagraph (b)‍(iii) of Form 5.‍04 in Part XXVIII of the Act is replaced by the following:

[ ]
(iii) an offence under any of sections 145 to 148, subsection 173(1), sections 264, 264.‍1, 266 and 270, Insertion start subsections Insertion end 286.‍1(1) Insertion start and 320.‍16(1) Insertion end , paragraph 348(1)‍(e) and sections 349 and 423 of the Criminal Code,

(2)Form 5.‍04 in Part XXVIII of the Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of subparagraph (b)‍(iv) and by adding the following after that subparagraph:

Start of inserted block
[ ]
(iv.‍1) an offence under section 252 of the Criminal Code, as it read from time to time before the day on which section 14 of An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts comes into force, or
End of inserted block

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 184(3)

30Form 5.‍1 in Part XXVIII of the Act is amended by replacing the reference after the heading “FORM 5.‍1” with the following:

( Insertion start Sections 320.‍29 and Insertion end 487.‍1)

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 184(3)

31Form 5.‍2 in Part XXVIII of the Act is replaced by the following:

FORM 5.‍2
(Section 489.‍1)
Report to a Justice

Canada,

Province of .‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍,

(territorial division).

To the justice who issued a warrant to the undersigned Insertion start under Insertion end section Insertion start 320.‍29 Insertion end , 487 or 487.‍1 of the Criminal Code (or another justice for the same territorial division or, if no warrant was issued, any justice having jurisdiction in respect of the matter).

I, (name of the peace officer or other person) have (state here whether you have acted under a warrant issued Insertion start under Insertion end section Insertion start 320.‍29 Insertion end , 487 or 487.‍1 of the Criminal Code or under section 489 of the Criminal Code or otherwise in the execution of duties under the Criminal Code or other Act of Parliament to be specified)

1 searched the premises situated at .‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍; and

2 seized the following things and dealt with them as follows:

Property Seized
Disposition
(describe each thing seized)
(state, in respect of each thing seized, whether
(a)  it was returned to the person lawfully entitled to its possession, in which case the receipt Insertion start for it Insertion end shall be attached Insertion start to this report Insertion end ; or
(b)  it is being detained to be dealt with according to law, Insertion start in which case indicate Insertion end the location and manner in which or, Insertion start if Insertion end applicable, the person by whom, it is being detained.)
1. .‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.
 
2. .‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.
 
3. .‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.
 
4. .‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.‍.
 

In the case of a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication, the statements referred to in subsection 487.‍1(9) of the Criminal Code shall be specified in the report.

Dated ( Insertion start date Insertion end ), at ( Insertion start place Insertion end ).

Signature of Insertion start the Insertion end peace officer or other person

Transitional Provisions

Application for disclosure of further information

32(1)Section 320.‍34 of the Criminal Code, as enacted by section 15 of this Act, applies in respect of any application for the disclosure of further information that is made on or after the day on which that section 15 comes into force if the sample or samples to which the application relates were taken before that day.

Trial

(2)Subsection 320.‍31(1) of the Criminal Code, as enacted by section 15 of this Act, applies to the trial of an accused that is commenced on or after the day on which that section 15 comes into force if the sample or samples to which the trial relates were taken before that day.

Bodily substances and results obtained before coming into force

33Section 320.‍36 of the Criminal Code, as enacted by section 15 of this Act, applies to bodily substances obtained under section 254 of that Act, as it read from time to time before the day on which that section 15 comes into force, and to results of any evaluation, physical coordination test or analysis of bodily substances obtained under that section 254, as it read from time to time before that day.

Appeal of order made under section 259

34(1)An appeal may be taken on or after the day on which section 21 of this Act comes into force against an order made under section 259 of the Criminal Code, as that section read from time to time before that day. Such an appeal is to be taken in accordance with section 675 of that Act, as that section read immediately before that day, and is to be dealt with and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of that Act as they read immediately before that day.

Stay of order made under section 259

(2)Sections 261 and 680 of the Criminal Code, as they read immediately before the day on which section 21 of this Act comes into force, apply in respect of an appeal that is taken on or after that day against an order made under section 259 of that Act, as that section read from time to time before that day.

Approved instrument, approved screening device, approved container

35Any approved container, approved drug screening equipment, approved instrument or approved screening device approved under subsection 254.‍01 of the Criminal Code, as it read immediately before the day on which section 14 of this Act comes into force, is deemed to be approved as an approved container, approved drug screening equipment, approved instrument or approved screening device, respectively, under section 320.‍39 of the Criminal Code as enacted by section 15 of this Act.

Qualified technician — breath samples

36Any person who is designated as a qualified technician within the meaning of paragraph (a) of the definition qualified technician under subsection 254(1) of the Criminal Code, as it read immediately before the day on which section 14 of this Act comes into force, is deemed to be designated as a qualified technician under paragraph 320.‍4(a) of the Criminal Code as enacted by section 15 of this Act.

Qualified technician — blood samples

37Any person who is designated as a qualified technician within the meaning of paragraph (b) of the definition qualified technician under subsection 254(1) of the Criminal Code, as it read immediately before the day on which section 14 of this Act comes into force, is deemed to be designated as a qualified technician under subparagraph 320.‍4(b)‍(i) of the Criminal Code as enacted by section 15 of this Act.

Analyst

38Any person who is designated as an analyst within the meaning of the definition analyst under subsection 254(1) of the Criminal Code, as it read immediately before the day on which section 14 of this Act comes into force, is deemed to be designated as an analyst under subparagraph 320.‍4(b)‍(ii) of the Criminal Code as enacted by section 15 of this Act.

Consequential Amendments

R.‍S.‍, c. A-2

Aeronautics Act

2008, c. 6, s. 55

39Section 8.‍6 of the Aeronautics Act is replaced by the following:
Admissibility of evidence

8.‍6Evidence relating to the presence or concentration of alcohol or a drug in a sample of a bodily substance obtained under the Criminal Code is admissible in proceedings taken against a person under this Part, and Insertion start sections 320.‍31 to 320.‍34 Insertion end of the Criminal Code apply to those proceedings with any modifications that the circumstances require.

R.‍S.‍, c. C-47

Criminal Records Act

1995, c. 39, par. 191(a)

40The definition sentence in subsection 2(1) of the Criminal Records Act is replaced by the following:

sentence has the same meaning as in the Criminal Code, but does not include an order made under section 109, 110, 161 or Insertion start 320.‍24 Insertion end of that Act or subsection 147.‍1(1) of the National Defence Act. (peine)

2012, c. 1, s. 112

41Paragraph 2.‍3(b) of the Act is replaced by the following:
  • (b)unless the record suspension is subsequently revoked or ceases to have effect, requires that the judicial record of the conviction be kept separate and apart from other criminal records and removes any disqualification or obligation to which the applicant is, by reason of the conviction, subject under any Act of Parliament, other than section 109, 110, 161, Insertion start 320.‍24 Insertion end , 490.‍012, 490.‍019 or 490.‍02901 of the Criminal Code, Insertion start section Insertion end 259 Insertion start of the Criminal Code, as it read immediately before the day on which section 14 of An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts comes into force Insertion end , subsection 147.‍1(1) or section 227.‍01 or 227.‍06 of the National Defence Act or section 36.‍1 of the International Transfer of Offenders Act.

2012, c. 1, s. 126

42Subparagraph 7.‍2(a)‍(ii) of the Act is replaced by the following:
  • (ii) Insertion start an Insertion end offence under the Criminal Code, other Insertion start than an offence Insertion end under subsection Insertion start 320.‍14(1) or 320.‍15(1) of that Act Insertion end , the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Firearms Act, Part III or IV of the Food and Drugs Act or the Narcotic Control Act, chapter N-1 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, that is punishable either on conviction on indictment or on summary conviction; or

R.‍S.‍, c. N-5

National Defence Act

R.‍S.‍, c. 27 (1st Supp.‍), s. 187 (Sch. V, item 5)

43Section 131 of the National Defence Act is replaced by the following:
Reference to Attorney General

131For the purposes of this Act, the reference in Insertion start section 320.‍4 Insertion end of the Criminal Code to the “Attorney General” includes the Attorney General of Canada.

2005, c. 25, s. 23(2)

44Paragraph (a) of the definition secondary designated offence in section 196.‍11 of the Act is replaced by the following:
  • (a)an offence within the meaning of any of paragraphs (a) to Insertion start (d.‍2) Insertion end of the definition secondary designated offence in section 487.‍04 of the Criminal Code that is punishable under section 130;

R.‍S.‍, c. 1 (2nd Supp.‍)

Customs Act

45Subsection 163.‍5(2) of the Customs Act is replaced by the following:
Powers relating to impaired driving offences

(2)A designated officer who is at a customs office performing the normal duties of an officer or is acting in accordance with section 99.‍1 has the powers and obligations of a peace officer under sections Insertion start 320.‍27 to 320.‍29 Insertion end of the Criminal Code. If, by demand, they require a person to provide samples of blood or breath or to submit to an evaluation, they may also require the person to accompany a peace officer referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition peace officer in section 2 of that Act, for that purpose.

R.‍S.‍, c. 32 (4th Supp.‍)

Railway Safety Act

2008, c. 6, s. 60

46Subsection 41(7) of the Railway Safety Act is replaced by the following:
Admissibility of evidence

(7)Evidence relating to the presence or concentration of alcohol or a drug in a sample of a bodily substance obtained under the Criminal Code is admissible in proceedings taken against a person under this Act in respect of a contravention of a rule or regulation respecting the use of alcohol or a drug, and Insertion start sections 320.‍31 to 320.‍35 Insertion end of the Criminal Code   Insertion start apply Insertion end to those proceedings with any modifications that the circumstances require.

1992, c. 20

Corrections and Conditional Release Act

2006, c. 14, s. 8

47The portion of section 109 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Cancellation or variation of prohibition orders

109The Board may, on application, cancel or vary the unexpired portion of a prohibition order made under section Insertion start 320.‍24 Insertion end of the Criminal Code   Insertion start or section Insertion end 259 Insertion start of that Act, as it read immediately before the day on which section 14 of An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts comes into force Insertion end , after a period of

1995, c. 42, s. 64(3); 2012, c. 1, s. 103(10)

48Paragraphs 1(s.‍1) to (s.‍2) of Schedule I to the Act are repealed.
49Section 1 of Schedule I to the Act is amended by adding the following after paragraph (z.‍24):
  • Start of inserted block

    (z.‍25)section 320.‍13 (dangerous operation);

  • (z.‍26)subsections 320.‍14(1), (2) and (3) (operation while impaired);

  • (z.‍27)section 320.‍15 (failure or refusal to comply with demand);

  • (z.‍28)section 320.‍16 (failure to stop after accident);

  • (z.‍29)section 320.‍17 (flight from peace officer);

    End of inserted block
50Schedule I to the Act is amended by adding the following after section 1:
Start of inserted block

1.‍1An offence under any of the following provisions of the Criminal Code, as they read from time to time before the day on which this section comes into force, that was prosecuted by way of indictment:

  • (a)subsections 249(3) and (4) (dangerous operation causing bodily harm and dangerous operation causing death);

  • (b)subsection 249.‍1(3) (flight causing bodily harm or death);

  • (c)section 249.‍2 (causing death by criminal negligence — street racing);

  • (d)section 249.‍3 (causing bodily harm by criminal negligence — street racing);

  • (e)section 249.‍4 (dangerous operation of motor vehicle while street racing); and

  • (f)subsections 255(2) and (3) (impaired driving causing bodily harm and impaired driving causing death).

    End of inserted block

PART 3
Coordinating Amendments and Coming into Force

Coordinating Amendments

Bill C-39

51(1)Subsections (2) and (3) apply if Bill C-39, introduced in the 1st session of the 42nd Parliament and entitled An Act to amend the Criminal Code (unconstitutional provisions) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (in this section referred to as the other Act), receives royal assent.

(2)If subsections 7(1) and (3) of this Act come into force before subsections 10(3) and (4) of the other Act, then those subsections 10(3) and (4) are deemed never to have come into force and are repealed.

(3)If subsections 10(3) and (4) of the other Act come into force on the same day as subsections 7(1) and (3) of this Act, then those subsections 10(3) and (4) are deemed to have come into force before those subsections 7(1) and (3).

Coming into Force

180th day after royal assent

52Sections 12 to 50 of this Act come into force on the 180th day after the day on which this Act receives royal assent.

Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons



EXPLANATORY NOTES

Criminal Code
Clause 1:New.
Clause 2:New.
Clause 3: (1)Existing text of the definitions:

approved container means

  • (a)in respect of breath samples, a container of a kind that is designed to receive a sample of the breath of a person for analysis and is approved as suitable for the purposes of section 258 by order of the Attorney General of Canada, and

  • (b)in respect of blood samples, a container of a kind that is designed to receive a sample of the blood of a person for analysis and is approved as suitable for the purposes of section 258 by order of the Attorney General of Canada; (contenant approuvé)

approved instrument means an instrument of a kind that is designed to receive and make an analysis of a sample of the breath of a person in order to measure the concentration of alcohol in the blood of that person and is approved as suitable for the purposes of section 258 by order of the Attorney General of Canada; (alcootest approuvé)

approved screening device means a device of a kind that is designed to ascertain the presence of alcohol in the blood of a person and that is approved for the purposes of this section by order of the Attorney General of Canada; (appareil de détection approuvé)

(2)New.
(3)Relevant portion of subsection 254(2):

(2)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has alcohol or a drug in their body and that the person has, within the preceding three hours, operated a motor vehicle or vessel, operated or assisted in the operation of an aircraft or railway equipment or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment, whether it was in motion or not, the peace officer may, by demand, require the person to comply with paragraph (a), in the case of a drug, or with either or both of paragraphs (a) and (b), in the case of alcohol:

(4)New.
(5)Existing text of subsection 254(3.‍1):

(3.‍1)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is committing, or at any time within the preceding three hours has committed, an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(a) as a result of the consumption of a drug or of a combination of alcohol and a drug, the peace officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to submit, as soon as practicable, to an evaluation conducted by an evaluating officer to determine whether the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

(6)Existing text of subsection 254(3.‍3):

(3.‍3)If the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that the person has alcohol in their body and if a demand was not made under paragraph (2)‍(b) or subsection (3), the evaluating officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable, a sample of breath that, in the evaluating officer’s opinion, will enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved instrument.

(7)Relevant portion of subsection 254(3.‍4):

(3.‍4)If, on completion of the evaluation, the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to believe, based on the evaluation, that the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, the evaluating officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable,

(8)Existing text of subsection 254(4):

(4)Samples of blood may be taken from a person under subsection (3) or (3.‍4) only by or under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner who is satisfied that taking the samples would not endanger the person’s life or health.

Clause 4:New.
Clause 5: (1)Relevant portion of subsection 255(1):

255(1)Every one who commits an offence under section 253 or 254 is guilty of an indictable offence or an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable,

(2)New.
(3)Existing text of subsection 255(2.‍1):

(2.‍1)Everyone who, while committing an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(b), causes an accident resulting in bodily harm to another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years.

(4)Existing text of subsection 255(3.‍1):

(3.‍1)Everyone who, while committing an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(b), causes an accident resulting in the death of another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

(5)Relevant portion of subsection 255(4):

(4)A person who is convicted of an offence committed under section 253 or subsection 254(5) is, for the purposes of this Act, deemed to be convicted for a second or subsequent offence, as the case may be, if they have previously been convicted of

Clause 6:Existing text of subsection 257(2):

(2)No qualified medical practitioner by whom or under whose direction a sample of blood is taken from a person under subsection 254(3) or (3.‍4) or section 256, and no qualified technician acting under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner, incurs any criminal or civil liability for anything necessarily done with reasonable care and skill when taking the sample.

Clause 7: (1)to (4) Relevant portion of subsection 258(1):

258(1)In any proceedings under subsection 255(1) in respect of an offence committed under section 253 or subsection 254(5) or in any proceedings under any of subsections 255(2) to (3.‍2),

  • .‍.‍.

  • (d)if a sample of the accused’s blood has been taken under subsection 254(3) or section 256 or with the accused’s consent and if

    • .‍.‍.

    • (iii)both samples referred to in subparagraph (i) were taken by a qualified medical practitioner or a qualified technician under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner,

    • .‍.‍.

  • evidence of the result of the analysis is conclusive proof that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood both at the time when the samples were taken and at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed was the concentration determined by the analysis or, if more than one sample was analyzed and the results of the analyses are the same, the concentration determined by the analyses and, if the results of the analyses are different, the lowest of the concentrations determined by the analyses, in the absence of evidence tending to show all of the following three things — that the analysis was performed improperly, that the improper performance resulted in the determination that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood, and that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood would not in fact have exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed;

  • .‍.‍.

  • (h)if a sample of the accused’s blood has been taken under subsection 254(3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the accused’s consent,

    • .‍.‍.

    • (ii)a certificate of a qualified medical practitioner stating that the medical practitioner caused the sample to be taken by a qualified technician under his direction and that before the sample was taken the qualified medical practitioner was of the opinion referred to in clause (i)‍(A), or

    • (iii)a certificate of a qualified technician stating that the technician took the sample and the facts referred to in clauses (i)‍(B) to (D)

  • is evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate; and

(5)Existing text of subsection 258(2):

(2)Unless a person is required to give a sample of a bodily substance under paragraph 254(2)‍(b) or subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4), evidence that they failed or refused to give a sample for analysis for the purposes of this section or that a sample was not taken is not admissible and the failure, refusal or fact that a sample was not taken shall not be the subject of comment by any person in the proceedings.

(6)Existing text of subsection 258(5):

(5)A sample of an accused’s blood taken under subsection 254(3) or section 256 or with the accused’s consent for the purpose of analysis to determine the concentration, if any, of alcohol in the blood may be tested to determine the concentration, if any, of a drug in the blood.

Clause 8: (1)Existing text of subsection 258.‍1(1):

258.‍1(1)Subject to subsections 258(4) and (5) and subsection (3), no person shall use a bodily substance taken under paragraph 254(2)‍(b), subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the consent of the person from whom it was taken after a request by a peace officer or medical samples that are provided by consent and subsequently seized under a warrant, except for the purpose of an analysis that is referred to in that provision or for which the consent is given.

(2)Relevant portion of subsection 258.‍1(2):

(2)Subject to subsections (3) and (4), no person shall use, disclose or allow the disclosure of the results of physical coordination tests under paragraph 254(2)‍(a), the results of an evaluation under subsection 254(3.‍1), the results of the analysis of a bodily substance taken under paragraph 254(2)‍(b), subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the consent of the person from whom it was taken after a request by a peace officer, or the results of the analysis of medical samples that are provided by consent and subsequently seized under a warrant, except

Clause 9: (1)Relevant portion of subsection 259(1):

259(1)When an offender is convicted of an offence committed under section 253 or 254 or this section or discharged under section 730 of an offence committed under section 253 and, at the time the offence was committed or, in the case of an offence committed under section 254, within the three hours preceding that time, was operating or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or of railway equipment or was assisting in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment, the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place, or from operating a vessel or an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be,

(2)New.
(3)Existing text of subsection 259(3):

(3)No order made under subsection (1) or (2) shall operate to prevent any person from acting as master, mate or engineer of a vessel that is required to carry officers holding certificates as master, mate or engineer.

(4)Existing text of subsection 259(5):

(5)For the purposes of this section, disqualification means

  • (a)a prohibition from operating a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or any railway equipment ordered pursuant to any of subsections (1), (2) and (3.‍1) to (3.‍4); or

  • (b)a disqualification or any other form of legal restriction of the right or privilege to operate a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft imposed

    • (i)in the case of a motor vehicle, under the law of a province, or

    • (ii)in the case of a vessel or an aircraft, under an Act of Parliament,

  • in respect of a conviction or discharge under section 730 of any offence referred to in any of subsections (1), (2) and (3.‍1) to (3.‍4).

Customs Act
Clause 11:Existing text of subsection 163.‍5(2):

(2)A designated officer who is at a customs office performing the normal duties of an officer or is acting in accordance with section 99.‍1 has the powers and obligations of a peace officer under sections 254 and 256 of the Criminal Code. If, by demand, they require a person to provide samples of blood or breath under subsection 254(3) of that Act, or to submit to an evaluation under subsection 254(3.‍1) of that Act, they may also require the person to accompany a peace officer referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition peace officer in section 2 of that Act, for that purpose.

Criminal Code
Clause 12:Existing text of the definition:

street racing means operating a motor vehicle in a race with at least one other motor vehicle on a street, road, highway or other public place; (course de rue)

Clause 13:Existing text of the definitions:

aircraft does not include a machine designed to derive support in the atmosphere primarily from reactions against the earth’s surface of air expelled from the machine; (aéronef)

operate

  • (a)means, in respect of a motor vehicle, to drive the vehicle,

  • (b)means, in respect of railway equipment, to participate in the direct control of its motion, whether

    • (i)as a member of the crew of the equipment,

    • (ii)as a person who, by remote control, acts in lieu of such crew, or

    • (iii)as other than a member or person described in subparagraphs (i) and (ii), and

  • (c)includes, in respect of a vessel or an aircraft, to navigate the vessel or aircraft; (conduire)

vessel includes a machine designed to derive support in the atmosphere primarily from reactions against the earth’s surface of air expelled from the machine.‍ (bateau)

Clause 14:Existing text of the heading and sections 249 to 261:
Motor Vehicles, Vessels and Aircraft

249(1)Every one commits an offence who operates

  • (a)a motor vehicle in a manner that is dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances, including the nature, condition and use of the place at which the motor vehicle is being operated and the amount of traffic that at the time is or might reasonably be expected to be at that place;

  • (b)a vessel or any water skis, surf-board, water sled or other towed object on or over any of the internal waters of Canada or the territorial sea of Canada, in a manner that is dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances, including the nature and condition of those waters or sea and the use that at the time is or might reasonably be expected to be made of those waters or sea;

  • (c)an aircraft in a manner that is dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances, including the nature and condition of that aircraft or the place or air space in or through which the aircraft is operated; or

  • (d)railway equipment in a manner that is dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances, including the nature and condition of the equipment or the place in or through which the equipment is operated.

(2)Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1)

  • (a)is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or

  • (b)is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

(3)Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1) and thereby causes bodily harm to any other person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years.

(4)Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1) and thereby causes the death of any other person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

249.‍1(1)Every one commits an offence who, operating a motor vehicle while being pursued by a peace officer operating a motor vehicle, fails, without reasonable excuse and in order to evade the peace officer, to stop the vehicle as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.

(2)Every one who commits an offence under subsection (1)

  • (a)is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or

  • (b)is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

(3)Every one commits an offence who causes bodily harm to or the death of another person by operating a motor vehicle in a manner described in paragraph 249(1)‍(a), if the person operating the motor vehicle was being pursued by a peace officer operating a motor vehicle and failed, without reasonable excuse and in order to evade the police officer, to stop the vehicle as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.

(4)Every person who commits an offence under subsection (3)

  • (a)if bodily harm was caused, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years; and

  • (b)if death was caused, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

249.‍2Everyone who by criminal negligence causes death to another person while street racing is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

249.‍3Everyone who by criminal negligence causes bodily harm to another person while street racing is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

249.‍4(1)Everyone commits an offence who, while street racing, operates a motor vehicle in a manner described in paragraph 249(1)‍(a).

(2)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection (1)

  • (a)is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or

  • (b)is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

(3)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection (1) and thereby causes bodily harm to another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

(4)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection (1) and thereby causes the death of another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

250(1)Every one who operates a vessel while towing a person on any water skis, surf-board, water sled or other object, when there is not on board such vessel another responsible person keeping watch on the person being towed, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

(2)Every one who operates a vessel while towing a person on any water skis, surf-board, water sled or other object during the period from one hour after sunset to sunrise is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

251(1)Every one who knowingly

  • (a)sends or being the master takes a vessel that is registered or licensed, or for which an identification number has been issued, pursuant to any Act of Parliament and that is unseaworthy

    • (i)on a voyage from a place in Canada to any other place in or out of Canada, or

    • (ii)on a voyage from a place on the inland waters of the United States to a place in Canada,

  • (b)sends an aircraft on a flight or operates an aircraft that is not fit and safe for flight, or

  • (c)sends for operation or operates railway equipment that is not fit and safe for operation

and thereby endangers the life of any person, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

(2)An accused shall not be convicted of an offence under this section where the accused establishes that,

  • (a)in the case of an offence under paragraph (1)‍(a),

    • (i)the accused used all reasonable means to ensure that the vessel was seaworthy, or

    • (ii)to send or take the vessel while it was unseaworthy was, under the circumstances, reasonable and justifiable;

  • (b)in the case of an offence under paragraph (1)‍(b),

    • (i)the accused used all reasonable means to ensure that the aircraft was fit and safe for flight, or

    • (ii)to send or operate the aircraft while it was not fit and safe for flight was, under the circumstances, reasonable and justifiable; and

  • (c)in the case of an offence under paragraph (1)‍(c),

    • (i)the accused used all reasonable means to ensure that the railway equipment was fit and safe for operation, or

    • (ii)to send the railway equipment for operation or to operate it while it was not fit and safe for operation was, under the circumstances, reasonable and justifiable.

(3)No proceedings shall be instituted under this section in respect of a vessel or aircraft, or in respect of railway equipment sent for operation or operated on a line of railway that is within the legislative authority of Parliament, without the consent in writing of the Attorney General of Canada.

252(1)Every person commits an offence who has the care, charge or control of a vehicle, vessel or aircraft that is involved in an accident with

  • (a)another person,

  • (b)a vehicle, vessel or aircraft, or

  • (c)in the case of a vehicle, cattle in the charge of another person,

and with intent to escape civil or criminal liability fails to stop the vehicle, vessel or, if possible, the aircraft, give his or her name and address and, where any person has been injured or appears to require assistance, offer assistance.

(1.‍1)Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1) in a case not referred to in subsection (1.‍2) or (1.‍3) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

(1.‍2)Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1) knowing that bodily harm has been caused to another person involved in the accident is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years.

(1.‍3)Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life if

  • (a)the person knows that another person involved in the accident is dead; or

  • (b)the person knows that bodily harm has been caused to another person involved in the accident and is reckless as to whether the death of the other person results from that bodily harm, and the death of that other person so results.

(2)In proceedings under subsection (1), evidence that an accused failed to stop his vehicle, vessel or, where possible, his aircraft, as the case may be, offer assistance where any person has been injured or appears to require assistance and give his name and address is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof of an intent to escape civil or criminal liability.

253(1)Every one commits an offence who operates a motor vehicle or vessel or operates or assists in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment or has the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment, whether it is in motion or not,

  • (a)while the person’s ability to operate the vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by alcohol or a drug; or

  • (b)having consumed alcohol in such a quantity that the concentration in the person’s blood exceeds eighty milligrams of alcohol in one hundred millilitres of blood.

(2)For greater certainty, the reference to impairment by alcohol or a drug in paragraph (1)‍(a) includes impairment by a combination of alcohol and a drug.

254(1)In this section and sections 254.‍1 to 258.‍1,

analyst means a person designated by the Attorney General as an analyst for the purposes of section 258; (analyste)

approved container means

  • (a)in respect of breath samples, a container of a kind that is designed to receive a sample of the breath of a person for analysis and is approved as suitable for the purposes of section 258 by order of the Attorney General of Canada, and

  • (b)in respect of blood samples, a container of a kind that is designed to receive a sample of the blood of a person for analysis and is approved as suitable for the purposes of section 258 by order of the Attorney General of Canada; (contenant approuvé)

approved instrument means an instrument of a kind that is designed to receive and make an analysis of a sample of the breath of a person in order to measure the concentration of alcohol in the blood of that person and is approved as suitable for the purposes of section 258 by order of the Attorney General of Canada; (alcootest approuvé)

approved screening device means a device of a kind that is designed to ascertain the presence of alcohol in the blood of a person and that is approved for the purposes of this section by order of the Attorney General of Canada; (appareil de détection approuvé)

evaluating officer means a peace officer who is qualified under the regulations to conduct evaluations under subsection (3.‍1); (agent évaluateur)

qualified medical practitioner means a person duly qualified by provincial law to practise medicine; (médecin qualifié)

qualified technician means,

  • (a)in respect of breath samples, a person designated by the Attorney General as being qualified to operate an approved instrument, and

  • (b)in respect of blood samples, any person or person of a class of persons designated by the Attorney General as being qualified to take samples of blood for the purposes of this section and sections 256 and 258. (technicien qualifié)

(2)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has alcohol or a drug in their body and that the person has, within the preceding three hours, operated a motor vehicle or vessel, operated or assisted in the operation of an aircraft or railway equipment or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment, whether it was in motion or not, the peace officer may, by demand, require the person to comply with paragraph (a), in the case of a drug, or with either or both of paragraphs (a) and (b), in the case of alcohol:

  • (a)to perform forthwith physical coordination tests prescribed by regulation to enable the peace officer to determine whether a demand may be made under subsection (3) or (3.‍1) and, if necessary, to accompany the peace officer for that purpose; and

  • (b)to provide forthwith a sample of breath that, in the peace officer’s opinion, will enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved screening device and, if necessary, to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

(2.‍1)For greater certainty, a peace officer may make a video recording of a performance of the physical coordination tests referred to in paragraph (2)‍(a).

(3)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is committing, or at any time within the preceding three hours has committed, an offence under section 253 as a result of the consumption of alcohol, the peace officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person

  • (a)to provide, as soon as practicable,

    • (i)samples of breath that, in a qualified technician’s opinion, will enable a proper analysis to be made to determine the concentration, if any, of alcohol in the person’s blood, or

    • (ii)if the peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that, because of their physical condition, the person may be incapable of providing a sample of breath or it would be impracticable to obtain a sample of breath, samples of blood that, in the opinion of the qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician taking the samples, will enable a proper analysis to be made to determine the concentration, if any, of alcohol in the person’s blood; and

  • (b)if necessary, to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

(3.‍1)If a peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is committing, or at any time within the preceding three hours has committed, an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(a) as a result of the consumption of a drug or of a combination of alcohol and a drug, the peace officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to submit, as soon as practicable, to an evaluation conducted by an evaluating officer to determine whether the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, and to accompany the peace officer for that purpose.

(3.‍2)For greater certainty, a peace officer may make a video recording of an evaluation referred to in subsection (3.‍1).

(3.‍3)If the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that the person has alcohol in their body and if a demand was not made under paragraph (2)‍(b) or subsection (3), the evaluating officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable, a sample of breath that, in the evaluating officer’s opinion, will enable a proper analysis to be made by means of an approved instrument.

(3.‍4)If, on completion of the evaluation, the evaluating officer has reasonable grounds to believe, based on the evaluation, that the person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by a drug or by a combination of alcohol and a drug, the evaluating officer may, by demand made as soon as practicable, require the person to provide, as soon as practicable,

  • (a)a sample of either oral fluid or urine that, in the evaluating officer’s opinion, will enable a proper analysis to be made to determine whether the person has a drug in their body; or

  • (b)samples of blood that, in the opinion of the qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician taking the samples, will enable a proper analysis to be made to determine whether the person has a drug in their body.

(4)Samples of blood may be taken from a person under subsection (3) or (3.‍4) only by or under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner who is satisfied that taking the samples would not endanger the person’s life or health.

(5)Everyone commits an offence who, without reasonable excuse, fails or refuses to comply with a demand made under this section.

(6)A person who is convicted of an offence under subsection (5) for a failure or refusal to comply with a demand may not be convicted of another offence under that subsection in respect of the same transaction.

254.‍1(1)The Governor in Council may make regulations

  • (a)respecting the qualifications and training of evaluating officers;

  • (b)prescribing the physical coordination tests to be conducted under paragraph 254(2)‍(a); and

  • (c)prescribing the tests to be conducted and procedures to be followed during an evaluation under subsection 254(3.‍1).

(2)A regulation may incorporate any material by reference either as it exists on a specified date or as amended from time to time.

(3)For greater certainty, material does not become a regulation for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act because it is incorporated by reference.

255(1)Every one who commits an offence under section 253 or 254 is guilty of an indictable offence or an offence punishable on summary conviction and is liable,

  • (a)whether the offence is prosecuted by indictment or punishable on summary conviction, to the following minimum punishment, namely,

    • (i)for a first offence, to a fine of not less than $1,000,

    • (ii)for a second offence, to imprisonment for not less than 30 days, and

    • (iii)for each subsequent offence, to imprisonment for not less than 120 days;

  • (b)where the offence is prosecuted by indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; and

  • (c)if the offence is punishable on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 18 months.

(2)Everyone who commits an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(a) and causes bodily harm to another person as a result is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years.

(2.‍1)Everyone who, while committing an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(b), causes an accident resulting in bodily harm to another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years.

(2.‍2)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 254(5) and, at the time of committing the offence, knows or ought to know that their operation of the motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment, their assistance in the operation of the aircraft or railway equipment or their care or control of the motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment caused an accident resulting in bodily harm to another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years.

(3)Everyone who commits an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(a) and causes the death of another person as a result is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

(3.‍1)Everyone who, while committing an offence under paragraph 253(1)‍(b), causes an accident resulting in the death of another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

(3.‍2)Everyone who commits an offence under subsection 254(5) and, at the time of committing the offence, knows or ought to know that their operation of the motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment, their assistance in the operation of the aircraft or railway equipment or their care or control of the motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment caused an accident resulting in the death of another person, or in bodily harm to another person whose death ensues, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for life.

(3.‍3)For greater certainty, everyone who is liable to the punishment described in any of subsections (2) to (3.‍2) is also liable to the minimum punishment described in paragraph (1)‍(a).

(4)A person who is convicted of an offence committed under section 253 or subsection 254(5) is, for the purposes of this Act, deemed to be convicted for a second or subsequent offence, as the case may be, if they have previously been convicted of

  • (a)an offence committed under either of those provisions;

  • (b)an offence under subsection (2) or (3); or

  • (c)an offence under section 250, 251, 252, 253, 259 or 260 or subsection 258(4) of this Act as this Act read immediately before the coming into force of this subsection.

(5)Notwithstanding subsection 730(1), a court may, instead of convicting a person of an offence committed under section 253, after hearing medical or other evidence, if it considers that the person is in need of curative treatment in relation to his consumption of alcohol or drugs and that it would not be contrary to the public interest, by order direct that the person be discharged under section 730 on the conditions prescribed in a probation order, including a condition respecting the person’s attendance for curative treatment in relation to that consumption of alcohol or drugs.

255.‍1Without limiting the generality of section 718.‍2, where a court imposes a sentence for an offence committed under this Act by means of a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or of railway equipment, evidence that the concentration of alcohol in the blood of the offender at the time when the offence was committed exceeded one hundred and sixty milligrams of alcohol in one hundred millilitres of blood shall be deemed to be aggravating circumstances relating to the offence that the court shall consider under paragraph 718.‍2(a).

256(1)Subject to subsection (2), if a justice is satisfied, on an information on oath in Form 1 or on an information on oath submitted to the justice under section 487.‍1 by telephone or other means of telecommunication, that there are reasonable grounds to believe that

  • (a)a person has, within the preceding four hours, committed, as a result of the consumption of alcohol or a drug, an offence under section 253 and the person was involved in an accident resulting in the death of another person or in bodily harm to himself or herself or to any other person, and

  • (b)a qualified medical practitioner is of the opinion that

    • (i)by reason of any physical or mental condition of the person that resulted from the consumption of alcohol or a drug, the accident or any other occurrence related to or resulting from the accident, the person is unable to consent to the taking of samples of his or her blood, and

    • (ii)the taking of samples of blood from the person would not endanger the life or health of the person,

the justice may issue a warrant authorizing a peace officer to require a qualified medical practitioner to take, or to cause to be taken by a qualified technician under the direction of the qualified medical practitioner, the samples of the blood of the person that in the opinion of the person taking the samples are necessary to enable a proper analysis to be made in order to determine the concentration, if any, of alcohol or drugs in the person’s blood.

(2)A warrant issued pursuant to subsection (1) may be in Form 5 or 5.‍1 varied to suit the case.

(3)Notwithstanding paragraphs 487.‍1(4)‍(b) and (c), an information on oath submitted by telephone or other means of telecommunication for the purposes of this section shall include, instead of the statements referred to in those paragraphs, a statement setting out the offence alleged to have been committed and identifying the person from whom blood samples are to be taken.

(4)Samples of blood may be taken from a person pursuant to a warrant issued pursuant to subsection (1) only during such time as a qualified medical practitioner is satisfied that the conditions referred to in subparagraphs (1)‍(b)‍(i) and (ii) continue to exist in respect of that person.

(5)When a warrant issued under subsection (1) is executed, the peace officer shall, as soon as practicable, give a copy of it — or, in the case of a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication, a facsimile — to the person from whom the blood samples are taken.

257(1)No qualified medical practitioner or qualified technician is guilty of an offence only by reason of his refusal to take a sample of blood from a person for the purposes of section 254 or 256 and no qualified medical practitioner is guilty of an offence only by reason of his refusal to cause to be taken by a qualified technician under his direction a sample of blood from a person for those purposes.

(2)No qualified medical practitioner by whom or under whose direction a sample of blood is taken from a person under subsection 254(3) or (3.‍4) or section 256, and no qualified technician acting under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner, incurs any criminal or civil liability for anything necessarily done with reasonable care and skill when taking the sample.

258(1)In any proceedings under subsection 255(1) in respect of an offence committed under section 253 or subsection 254(5) or in any proceedings under any of subsections 255(2) to (3.‍2),

  • (a)where it is proved that the accused occupied the seat or position ordinarily occupied by a person who operates a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or any railway equipment or who assists in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment, the accused shall be deemed to have had the care or control of the vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be, unless the accused establishes that the accused did not occupy that seat or position for the purpose of setting the vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment in motion or assisting in the operation of the aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be;

  • (b)the result of an analysis of a sample of the accused’s breath, blood, urine or other bodily substance — other than a sample taken under subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) — may be admitted in evidence even if the accused was not warned before they gave the sample that they need not give the sample or that the result of the analysis of the sample might be used in evidence;

  • (c)where samples of the breath of the accused have been taken pursuant to a demand made under subsection 254(3), if

    • (i)[Repealed before coming into force, 2008, c. 20, s. 3]

    • (ii)each sample was taken as soon as practicable after the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed and, in the case of the first sample, not later than two hours after that time, with an interval of at least fifteen minutes between the times when the samples were taken,

    • (iii)each sample was received from the accused directly into an approved container or into an approved instrument operated by a qualified technician, and

    • (iv)an analysis of each sample was made by means of an approved instrument operated by a qualified technician,

  • evidence of the results of the analyses so made is conclusive proof that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood both at the time when the analyses were made and at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed was, if the results of the analyses are the same, the concentration determined by the analyses and, if the results of the analyses are different, the lowest of the concentrations determined by the analyses, in the absence of evidence tending to show all of the following three things — that the approved instrument was malfunctioning or was operated improperly, that the malfunction or improper operation resulted in the determination that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood, and that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood would not in fact have exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed;

  • (d)if a sample of the accused’s blood has been taken under subsection 254(3) or section 256 or with the accused’s consent and if

    • (i)at the time the sample was taken, the person taking the sample took an additional sample of the blood of the accused and one of the samples was retained to permit an analysis of it to be made by or on behalf of the accused and, in the case where the accused makes a request within six months from the taking of the samples, one of the samples was ordered to be released under subsection (4),

    • (ii)both samples referred to in subparagraph (i) were taken as soon as practicable and in any event not later than two hours after the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed,

    • (iii)both samples referred to in subparagraph (i) were taken by a qualified medical practitioner or a qualified technician under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner,

    • (iv)both samples referred to in subparagraph (i) were received from the accused directly into, or placed directly into, approved containers that were subsequently sealed, and

    • (v)an analysis was made by an analyst of at least one of the samples,

  • evidence of the result of the analysis is conclusive proof that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood both at the time when the samples were taken and at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed was the concentration determined by the analysis or, if more than one sample was analyzed and the results of the analyses are the same, the concentration determined by the analyses and, if the results of the analyses are different, the lowest of the concentrations determined by the analyses, in the absence of evidence tending to show all of the following three things — that the analysis was performed improperly, that the improper performance resulted in the determination that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood, and that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood would not in fact have exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed;

  • (d.‍01)for greater certainty, evidence tending to show that an approved instrument was malfunctioning or was operated improperly, or that an analysis of a sample of the accused’s blood was performed improperly, does not include evidence of

    • (i)the amount of alcohol that the accused consumed,

    • (ii)the rate at which the alcohol that the accused consumed would have been absorbed and eliminated by the accused’s body, or

    • (iii)a calculation based on that evidence of what the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood would have been at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed;

  • (d.‍1)if samples of the accused’s breath or a sample of the accused’s blood have been taken as described in paragraph (c) or (d) under the conditions described in that paragraph and the results of the analyses show a concentration of alcohol in blood exceeding 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood, evidence of the results of the analyses is proof that the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed exceeded 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood, in the absence of evidence tending to show that the accused’s consumption of alcohol was consistent with both

    • (i)a concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood that did not exceed 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood at the time when the offence was alleged to have been committed, and

    • (ii)the concentration of alcohol in the accused’s blood as determined under paragraph (c) or (d), as the case may be, at the time when the sample or samples were taken;

  • (e)a certificate of an analyst stating that the analyst has made an analysis of a sample of the blood, urine, breath or other bodily substance of the accused and stating the result of that analysis is evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate;

  • (f)a certificate of an analyst stating that the analyst has made an analysis of a sample of an alcohol standard that is identified in the certificate and intended for use with an approved instrument and that the sample of the standard analyzed by the analyst was found to be suitable for use with an approved instrument, is evidence that the alcohol standard so identified is suitable for use with an approved instrument without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate;

  • (f.‍1)the document printed out from an approved instrument and signed by a qualified technician who certifies it to be the printout produced by the approved instrument when it made the analysis of a sample of the accused’s breath is evidence of the facts alleged in the document without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed it;

  • (g)where samples of the breath of the accused have been taken pursuant to a demand made under subsection 254(3), a certificate of a qualified technician stating

    • (i)that the analysis of each of the samples has been made by means of an approved instrument operated by the technician and ascertained by the technician to be in proper working order by means of an alcohol standard, identified in the certificate, that is suitable for use with an approved instrument,

    • (ii)the results of the analyses so made, and

    • (iii)if the samples were taken by the technician,

      • (A)[Repealed before coming into force, 2008, c. 20, s. 3]

      • (B)the time when and place where each sample and any specimen described in clause (A) was taken, and

      • (C)that each sample was received from the accused directly into an approved container or into an approved instrument operated by the technician,

  • is evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate without proof of the signature or the official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate;

  • (h)if a sample of the accused’s blood has been taken under subsection 254(3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the accused’s consent,

    • (i)a certificate of a qualified medical practitioner stating that

      • (A)they took the sample and before the sample was taken they were of the opinion that taking it would not endanger the accused’s life or health and, in the case of a demand made under section 256, that by reason of any physical or mental condition of the accused that resulted from the consumption of alcohol or a drug, the accident or any other occurrence related to or resulting from the accident, the accused was unable to consent to the taking of the sample,

      • (B)at the time the sample was taken, an additional sample of the blood of the accused was taken to permit analysis of one of the samples to be made by or on behalf of the accused,

      • (C)the time when and place where both samples referred to in clause (B) were taken, and

      • (D)both samples referred to in clause (B) were received from the accused directly into, or placed directly into, approved containers that were subsequently sealed and that are identified in the certificate,

    • (ii)a certificate of a qualified medical practitioner stating that the medical practitioner caused the sample to be taken by a qualified technician under his direction and that before the sample was taken the qualified medical practitioner was of the opinion referred to in clause (i)‍(A), or

    • (iii)a certificate of a qualified technician stating that the technician took the sample and the facts referred to in clauses (i)‍(B) to (D)

  • is evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate; and

  • (i)a certificate of an analyst stating that the analyst has made an analysis of a sample of the blood of the accused that was contained in a sealed approved container identified in the certificate, the date on which and place where the sample was analyzed and the result of that analysis is evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed it.

(2)Unless a person is required to give a sample of a bodily substance under paragraph 254(2)‍(b) or subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4), evidence that they failed or refused to give a sample for analysis for the purposes of this section or that a sample was not taken is not admissible and the failure, refusal or fact that a sample was not taken shall not be the subject of comment by any person in the proceedings.

(3)In any proceedings under subsection 255(1) in respect of an offence committed under paragraph 253(1)‍(a) or in any proceedings under subsection 255(2) or (3), evidence that the accused, without reasonable excuse, failed or refused to comply with a demand made under section 254 is admissible and the court may draw an inference adverse to the accused from that evidence.

(4)If, at the time a sample of an accused’s blood is taken, an additional sample is taken and retained, a judge of a superior court of criminal jurisdiction or a court of criminal jurisdiction shall, on the summary application of the accused made within six months after the day on which the samples were taken, order the release of one of the samples for the purpose of examination or analysis, subject to any terms that appear to be necessary or desirable to ensure that the sample is safeguarded and preserved for use in any proceedings in respect of which it was taken.

(5)A sample of an accused’s blood taken under subsection 254(3) or section 256 or with the accused’s consent for the purpose of analysis to determine the concentration, if any, of alcohol in the blood may be tested to determine the concentration, if any, of a drug in the blood.

(6)A party against whom a certificate described in paragraph (1)‍(e), (f), (f.‍1), (g), (h) or (i) is produced may, with leave of the court, require the attendance of the qualified medical practitioner, analyst or qualified technician, as the case may be, for the purposes of cross-examination.

(7)No certificate shall be received in evidence pursuant to paragraph (1)‍(e), (f), (g), (h) or (i) unless the party intending to produce it has, before the trial, given to the other party reasonable notice of his intention and a copy of the certificate.

258.‍1(1)Subject to subsections 258(4) and (5) and subsection (3), no person shall use a bodily substance taken under paragraph 254(2)‍(b), subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the consent of the person from whom it was taken after a request by a peace officer or medical samples that are provided by consent and subsequently seized under a warrant, except for the purpose of an analysis that is referred to in that provision or for which the consent is given.

(2)Subject to subsections (3) and (4), no person shall use, disclose or allow the disclosure of the results of physical coordination tests under paragraph 254(2)‍(a), the results of an evaluation under subsection 254(3.‍1), the results of the analysis of a bodily substance taken under paragraph 254(2)‍(b), subsection 254(3), (3.‍3) or (3.‍4) or section 256 or with the consent of the person from whom it was taken after a request by a peace officer, or the results of the analysis of medical samples that are provided by consent and subsequently seized under a warrant, except

  • (a)in the course of an investigation of, or in a proceeding for, an offence under any of sections 220, 221, 236 and 249 to 255, an offence under Part I of the Aeronautics Act, or an offence under the Railway Safety Act in respect of a contravention of a rule or regulation made under that Act respecting the use of alcohol or a drug; or

  • (b)for the purpose of the administration or enforcement of the law of a province.

(3)Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to persons who for medical purposes use samples or use or disclose the results of tests, taken for medical purposes, that are subsequently seized under a warrant.

(4)The results of physical coordination tests, an evaluation or an analysis referred to in subsection (2) may be disclosed to the person to whom they relate, and may be disclosed to any other person if the results are made anonymous and the disclosure is made for statistical or other research purposes.

(5)Every person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

259(1)When an offender is convicted of an offence committed under section 253 or 254 or this section or discharged under section 730 of an offence committed under section 253 and, at the time the offence was committed or, in the case of an offence committed under section 254, within the three hours preceding that time, was operating or had the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or of railway equipment or was assisting in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment, the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place, or from operating a vessel or an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be,

  • (a)for a first offence, during a period of not more than three years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than one year;

  • (b)for a second offence, during a period of not more than five years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than two years; and

  • (c)for each subsequent offence, during a period of not less than three years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment.

(1.‍1)If the offender is registered in an alcohol ignition interlock device program established under the law of the province in which the offender resides and complies with the conditions of the program, the offender may, subject to subsection (1.‍2), operate a motor vehicle equipped with an alcohol ignition interlock device during the prohibition period, unless the court orders otherwise.

(1.‍2)An offender who is registered in a program referred to in subsection (1.‍1) may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with an alcohol ignition interlock device until

  • (a)the expiry of a period of

    • (i)for a first offence, 3 months after the day on which sentence is imposed,

    • (ii)for a second offence, 6 months after the day on which sentence is imposed, and

    • (iii)for each subsequent offence, 12 months after the day on which sentence is imposed; or

  • (b)the expiry of any period that may be fixed by order of the court that is greater than a period referred to in paragraph (a).

(1.‍3) and (1.‍4)[Repealed, 2008, c. 18, s. 8]

(2)If an offender is convicted or discharged under section 730 of an offence under section 220, 221, 236, 249, 249.‍1, 250, 251 or 252 or any of subsections 255(2) to (3.‍2) committed by means of a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment, the court that sentences the offender may, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place, or from operating a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be,

  • (a)during any period that the court considers proper, if the offender is sentenced to imprisonment for life in respect of that offence;

  • (a.‍1)during any period that the court considers proper, plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, if the offender is liable to imprisonment for life in respect of that offence and if the sentence imposed is other than imprisonment for life;

  • (b)during any period not exceeding ten years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, if the offender is liable to imprisonment for more than five years but less than life in respect of that offence; and

  • (c)during any period not exceeding three years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, in any other case.

(2.‍1)The court may, when it makes an order under this section prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment, as the case may be, order that the time served under that order be served consecutively to the time served under any other order made under this section that prohibits the operation of the same means of transport and that is in force.

(3)No order made under subsection (1) or (2) shall operate to prevent any person from acting as master, mate or engineer of a vessel that is required to carry officers holding certificates as master, mate or engineer.

(3.‍1)When an offender is convicted or discharged under section 730 of an offence committed under subsection 249.‍4(1), the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place

  • (a)for a first offence, during a period of not more than three years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than one year;

  • (b)for a second offence, during a period of not more than five years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than two years; and

  • (c)for each subsequent offence, during a period of not less than three years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment.

(3.‍2)When an offender is convicted or discharged under section 730 of an offence committed under section 249.‍3 or subsection 249.‍4(3), the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place

  • (a)for a first offence, during a period of not more than ten years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than one year;

  • (b)for a second offence, during a period of not more than ten years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than two years; and

  • (c)for each subsequent offence, during a period of not less than three years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment.

(3.‍3)When an offender is convicted or discharged under section 730 of a first offence committed under section 249.‍2 or subsection 249.‍4(4), the court that sentences the offender shall, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for that offence, make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place

  • (a)for an offence under section 249.‍2, during a period of not less than one year plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment; and

  • (b)for an offence under subsection 249.‍4(4), during a period of not more than ten years plus any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment, and not less than one year.

(3.‍4)When an offender is convicted or discharged under section 730 of an offence committed under section 249.‍2 or 249.‍3 or subsection 249.‍4(3) or (4), the offender has previously been convicted or discharged under section 730 of one of those offences and at least one of the convictions or discharges is under section 249.‍2 or subsection 249.‍4(4), the court that sentences the offender shall make an order prohibiting the offender from operating a motor vehicle on any street, road, highway or other public place for life.

(4)Every offender who operates a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or any railway equipment in Canada while disqualified from doing so, other than an offender who is registered in an alcohol ignition interlock device program established under the law of the province in which the offender resides and who complies with the conditions of the program,

  • (a)is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or

  • (b)is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

(5)For the purposes of this section, disqualification means

  • (a)a prohibition from operating a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or any railway equipment ordered pursuant to any of subsections (1), (2) and (3.‍1) to (3.‍4); or

  • (b)a disqualification or any other form of legal restriction of the right or privilege to operate a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft imposed

    • (i)in the case of a motor vehicle, under the law of a province, or

    • (ii)in the case of a vessel or an aircraft, under an Act of Parliament,

  • in respect of a conviction or discharge under section 730 of any offence referred to in any of subsections (1), (2) and (3.‍1) to (3.‍4).

260(1)If a court makes a prohibition order under section 259 in relation to an offender, it shall cause

  • (a)the order to be read by or to the offender;

  • (b)a copy of the order to be given to the offender; and

  • (c)the offender to be informed of subsection 259(4).

(2)After subsection (1) has been complied with in relation to an offender who is bound by an order referred to in that subsection, the offender shall endorse the order, acknowledging receipt of a copy thereof and that the order has been explained to him.

(3)The failure of an offender to endorse an order pursuant to subsection (2) does not affect the validity of the order.

(4)In the absence of evidence to the contrary, where it is proved that a disqualification referred to in paragraph 259(5)‍(b) has been imposed on a person and that notice of the disqualification has been mailed by registered or certified mail to that person, that person shall, after five days following the mailing of the notice, be deemed to have received the notice and to have knowledge of the disqualification, of the date of its commencement and of its duration.

(5)In proceedings under section 259, a certificate setting out with reasonable particularity that a person is disqualified from

  • (a)driving a motor vehicle in a province, purporting to be signed by the registrar of motor vehicles for that province, or

  • (b)operating a vessel or aircraft, purporting to be signed by the Minister of Transport or any person authorized by the Minister of Transport for that purpose

is evidence of the facts alleged therein without proof of the signature or official character of the person by whom it purports to be signed.

(6)Subsection (5) does not apply in any proceedings unless at least seven days notice in writing is given to the accused that it is intended to tender the certificate in evidence.

(7)In subsection (5), registrar of motor vehicles includes the deputy of that registrar and any other person or body, by whatever name or title designated, that from time to time performs the duties of superintending the registration of motor vehicles in the province.

261(1)Subject to subsection (1.‍1), if an appeal is taken against a conviction or discharge under section 730 for an offence committed under any of sections 220, 221, 236, 249 to 255 and 259, a judge of the court being appealed to may direct that any prohibition order under section 259 arising out of the conviction or discharge shall, on any conditions that the judge or court imposes, be stayed pending the final disposition of the appeal or until otherwise ordered by that court.

(1.‍1)In the case of an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, the direction referred to in subsection (1) may be made only by a judge of the court being appealed from and not by a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.

(2)If conditions are imposed under a direction made under subsection (1) or (1.‍1) that a prohibition order be stayed, the direction shall not operate to decrease the period of prohibition provided in the order.

Clause 15:New.
Clause 16:Existing text of subsection 335(2):

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), vessel has the meaning assigned by section 214.

Clause 17:Existing text of subsection 461(3):

(3)Subsections 258(6) and (7) apply, with such modifications as the circumstances require, in respect of a certificate described in subsection (2).

Clause 18: (1) to (4)Relevant portion of the definition:

secondary designated offence means an offence, other than a primary designated offence, that is

  • .‍.‍.

  • (c)an offence under any of the following provisions of this Act:

    • .‍.‍.

    • (iv)section 252 (failure to stop at scene of accident),

  • .‍.‍.

  • (e)an attempt to commit or, other than for the purposes of subsection 487.‍05(1), a conspiracy to commit

    • .‍.‍.

    • (ii)an offence referred to in paragraph (c) or (d); (infraction secondaire)

Clause 19: (1)Existing text of subsection 487.‍1(1):

487.‍1(1)Where a peace officer believes that an indictable offence has been committed and that it would be impracticable to appear personally before a justice to make application for a warrant in accordance with section 256 or 487, the peace officer may submit an information on oath by telephone or other means of telecommunication to a justice designated for the purpose by the chief judge of the provincial court having jurisdiction in the matter.

(2)Existing text of subsection 487.‍1(5):

(5)A justice referred to in subsection (1) who is satisfied that an information submitted by telephone or other means of telecommunication

  • (a)is in respect of an indictable offence and conforms to the requirements of subsection (4),

  • (b)discloses reasonable grounds for dispensing with an information presented personally and in writing, and

  • (c)discloses reasonable grounds, in accordance with subsection 256(1) or paragraph 487(1)‍(a), (b) or (c), as the case may be, for the issuance of a warrant in respect of an indictable offence,

may issue a warrant to a peace officer conferring the same authority respecting search and seizure as may be conferred by a warrant issued by a justice before whom the peace officer appears personally pursuant to subsection 256(1) or 487(1), as the case may be, and may require that the warrant be executed within such time period as the justice may order.

(3)Existing text of subsections 487.‍1(7) and (8):

(7)A peace officer who executes a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication, other than a warrant issued pursuant to subsection 256(1), shall, before entering the place or premises to be searched or as soon as practicable thereafter, give a facsimile of the warrant to any person present and ostensibly in control of the place or premises.

(8)A peace officer who, in any unoccupied place or premises, executes a warrant issued by telephone or other means of telecommunication, other than a warrant issued pursuant to subsection 256(1), shall, on entering the place or premises or as soon as practicable thereafter, cause a facsimile of the warrant to be suitably affixed in a prominent place within the place or premises.

Clause 20:Existing text of subsection 662(5):

(5)For greater certainty, where a count charges an offence under section 220, 221 or 236 arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle or the navigation or operation of a vessel or aircraft, and the evidence does not prove such offence but does prove an offence under section 249 or subsection 249.‍1(3), the accused may be convicted of an offence under section 249 or subsection 249.‍1(3), as the case may be.

Clause 21:Relevant portion of the definition:

sentence includes

  • .‍.‍.

  • (b)an order made under subsection 109(1) or 110(1), section 161, subsection 164.‍2(1) or 194(1), section 259, 261 or 462.‍37, subsection 491.‍1(2), 730(1) or 737(3) or section 738, 739, 742.‍1, 742.‍3, 743.‍6, 745.‍4 or 745.‍5,

Clause 22:Relevant portion of subsection 680(1):

680(1)A decision made by a judge under section 522 or subsection 524(4) or (5) or a decision made by a judge of the court of appeal under section 261 or 679 may, on the direction of the chief justice or acting chief justice of the court of appeal, be reviewed by that court and that court may, if it does not confirm the decision,

Clause 23:Existing text of subsection 729.‍1(2):

(2)In this section, analyst has the same meaning as in subsection 254(1).

Clause 24:Relevant portion of subsection 732.‍1(3):

(3)The court may prescribe, as additional conditions of a probation order, that the offender do one or more of the following:

  • .‍.‍.

  • (g.‍2)where the lieutenant governor in council of the province in which the probation order is made has established a program governing the use of an alcohol ignition interlock device by an offender and if the offender agrees to participate in the program, comply with the program; and

Clause 25:New.
Clause 26:Relevant portion of the definition:

sentence includes

  • .‍.‍.

  • (b)an order made under subsection 109(1) or 110(1), section 259 or 261, subsection 730(1) or 737(3) or section 738, 739, 742.‍1 or 742.‍3,

Clause 27:Existing text of subsection 811.‍1(2):

(2)In this section, analyst has the same meaning as in subsection 254(1).

Aeronautics Act
Clause 39:Existing text of section 8.‍6:

8.‍6Evidence relating to the presence or concentration of alcohol or a drug in a sample of a bodily substance obtained under any provision of the Criminal Code is admissible in proceedings taken against a person under this Part, and the provisions of section 258 of the Criminal Code, except paragraph 258(1)‍(a), apply to those proceedings with any modifications that the circumstances require.

Criminal Records Act
Clause 40:Existing text of the definition:

sentence has the same meaning as in the Criminal Code, but does not include an order made under section 109, 110, 161 or 259 of that Act or subsection 147.‍1(1) of the National Defence Act.‍ (peine)

Clause 41:Relevant portion of section 2.‍3:

2.‍3A record suspension

  • .‍.‍.

  • (b)unless the record suspension is subsequently revoked or ceases to have effect, requires that the judicial record of the conviction be kept separate and apart from other criminal records and removes any disqualification or obligation to which the applicant is, by reason of the conviction, subject under any Act of Parliament — other than section 109, 110, 161, 259, 490.‍012, 490.‍019 or 490.‍02901 of the Criminal Code, subsection 147.‍1(1) or section 227.‍01 or 227.‍06 of the National Defence Act or section 36.‍1 of the International Transfer of Offenders Act.

Clause 42:Relevant portion of section 7.‍2:

7.‍2A record suspension ceases to have effect if

  • (a)the person to whom it relates is subsequently convicted of

    • .‍.‍.

    • (ii)any other offence under the Criminal Code, except subsection 255(1), or under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Firearms Act, Part III or IV of the Food and Drugs Act or the Narcotic Control Act, chapter N-1 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, that is punishable either on conviction on indictment or on summary conviction; or

National Defence Act
Clause 43:Existing text of section 131:

131For the purposes of this Act, a reference in the definition analyst or qualified technician in subsection 254(1) of the Criminal Code to the “Attorney General” includes the Attorney General of Canada.

Clause 44:Relevant portion of the definition:

secondary designated offence means

  • (a)an offence within the meaning of any of paragraphs (a) to (d) of the definition secondary designated offence in section 487.‍04 of the Criminal Code that is punishable under section 130;

Customs Act
Clause 45:Text of subsection 163.‍5(2), as enacted by clause 11:

(2)A designated officer who is at a customs office performing the normal duties of an officer or is acting in accordance with section 99.‍1 has the powers and obligations of a peace officer under sections 254 and 256 of the Criminal Code. If, by demand, they require a person to provide samples of blood or breath under subsection 254(3) of that Act, or to submit to an evaluation or to provide samples of blood under subsection 254(3.‍1) of that Act, they may also require the person to accompany a peace officer referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition peace officer in section 2 of that Act, for that purpose.

Railway Safety Act
Clause 46:Existing text of subsection 41(7):

(7)Evidence relating to the presence or concentration of alcohol or a drug in a sample of a bodily substance obtained under any provision of the Criminal Code is admissible in proceedings taken against a person under this Act in respect of a contravention of a rule or regulation respecting the use of alcohol or a drug, and section 258 of the Criminal Code applies to those proceedings with any modifications that the circumstances require.

Corrections and Conditional Release Act
Clause 47:Relevant portion of section 109:

109The Board may, on application, cancel or vary the unexpired portion of a prohibition order made under section 259 of the Criminal Code after a period of


Publication Explorer
Publication Explorer
ParlVU