Types of Regulatory Offences

Offences in the Criminal Code are outnumbered by the regulatory offences created by the three levels of government. This quasi-criminal law is concerned with the enforcement of regulatory schemes, and usuall imposes fines as punishment.

Regulatory offences can be absolute liability, proof beyond a reasonable doubt for a subjective fault element, or strict liability offences. Strict liability offences are based on negligence.

Corporate applications of regulatory offences typically include pollution, misleading advertising, health violations, and safety or licensing issues.

A number of reforms were established in 2003 enabling the conviction of corporations for criminal offences, and created a new statatory concept of a corporate senior officer who could be held liable.