Where Fire Code cases are heard — and what courts have said.

Created the category of "strict liability" offences. For public welfare offences, the prosecution doesn't have to prove intent — proving the prohibited act is enough, unless the defendant shows it took all reasonable care.

This is the framework nearly every Fire Code charge is decided under.

Upheld as constitutional the rule that, in regulatory offences, the defendant carries the burden of proving reasonable care on a balance of probabilities.

Once the violation is proven, the onus is on you — which is why records and preparation matter from the start.

Deterrence is the primary goal when sentencing regulatory offences. Fines are set with regard to the defendant's size, the harm or risk involved, the statutory maximum, and what's needed to deter.

It's why a corporation can face a far larger fine than an individual for the same violation.

Doing what the law already required — including complying with an order after the fact — isn't in itself a mitigating factor on sentence.

Decided under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and widely cited in regulatory sentencing. Fixing the problem is necessary, but timing and what you did before the inspection matter.