Fighting Provincial Offences Charges: Various Cases Within Provincial Courts

Question: Are provincial offence allegations considered criminal charges in Canada?

Answer: While provincial offences in Canada are not classified as criminal charges, they are considered quasi-criminal matters and can carry significant penalties despite not resulting in a criminal record. This means individuals affected may face serious consequences. Understanding your rights within the framework of the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.33, can be crucial in addressing these allegations effectively. Consider consulting with a knowledgeable paralegal to navigate the complexities of your case.

Provincial Offence Allegations as Being Charges Considered as Quasi-Criminal Matters

Provincial offences are quasi-crimes or regulatory offences in that they are violation of laws enacted to regulate individual conduct for the protection of society as a whole and they are prosecuted by a Prosecutor as an agent of the state, meaning as a representative of the people; however, unlike criminal offences, upon conviction of a provincial offence a person avoids establishing a criminal record.  With this said, although conviction for a provincial offence fails to establish a criminal record, the consequences for conviction of a provincial offence may still carry heavy penalties and consequences for the convicted person.

The Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.33, as well as the Rules of the Ontario Court (Provincial Division) in Provincial Offences Proceedings, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 200, provide the procedural law that guides the process by which offences within numerous substantive law statutes are prosecuted.  The range in matters falling under the purview of provincial offences is very broad.  Concerns involving provincial offences include: