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Environmental offencesVerified against official source
This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.
Statutory range
Individual — indictable
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 3 years
- Fine
- Fine $15,000–$1,000,000 (first offence) / $30,000–$2,000,000 (subsequent)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
s. 272(2)(a). Fine or imprisonment or both.
Individual — summary conviction
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months
- Fine
- Fine $5,000–$300,000 (first offence) / $10,000–$600,000 (subsequent)
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
s. 272(2)(b). Fine or imprisonment or both.
Individual tiers per s. 272(2), read from the official text. Corporate tiers (ss. 272(3)–(4)): first offence $500,000–$6,000,000 (indictable) / $100,000–$4,000,000 (summary); subsequent $1,000,000–$12,000,000 / $200,000–$8,000,000; small-revenue corporations lower. Relief from minimum fine for undue financial hardship is available.