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Criminal Code

s. 175 Causing Disturbance

Causing disturbance, indecent exhibition, loitering, etc.

  • Public Order & Administration
  • Public Order
Maximum sentence
2 years less a day / $5,000 fine
Classification
Summary

Last verified: June 2026 · Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

The law says

Criminal Code s. 175
Verify on justice.gc.ca(opens in a new tab)
  • (1)Every one who (a) not being in a dwelling-house, causes a disturbance in or near a public place, (i) by fighting, screaming, shouting, swearing, singing or using insulting or obscene language, (ii) by being drunk, or (iii) by impeding or molesting other persons, (b) openly exposes or exhibits an indecent exhibition in a public place, (c) loiters in a public place and in any way obstructs persons who are in that place, or (d) disturbs the peace and quiet of the occupants of a dwelling-house by discharging firearms or by other disorderly conduct in a public place or who, not being an occupant of a dwelling-house comprised in a particular building or structure, disturbs the peace and quiet of the occupants of a dwelling-house comprised in the building or structure by discharging firearms or by other disorderly conduct in any part of a building or structure to which, at the time of such conduct, the occupants of two or more dwelling-houses comprised in the building or structure have access as of right or by invitation, express or implied, is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
  • (2)In the absence of other evidence, or by way of corroboration of other evidence, a summary conviction court may infer from the evidence of a peace officer relating to the conduct of a person or persons, whether ascertained or not, that a disturbance described in paragraph (1)(a) or (d) or an obstruction described in paragraph (1)(c) was caused or occurred.
Amendment History (2)
  • R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 175
  • 1997, c. 18, s. 6

Justice Laws is the authoritative version. If this copy and it ever differ, Justice Laws wins.

Immigration

Where this offence sits under IRPA

This is a summary offence, the light track. One conviction generally does not make a foreign national inadmissible under IRPA s.36. In Canada, s.36(2)(a) needs an offence punishable by indictment. Outside Canada, s.36(2)(b) needs a match to an indictable offence. But two or more convictions not arising from a single occurrence may create inadmissibility, under s.36(2)(a) in Canada or s.36(2)(b) outside it. For convictions in Canada for summary-only offences, that stops applying 5 years after the sentences end (IRPR r.18.1).

This is how the law sorts the offence, not a reading of any one record. An officer decides each case.

IRPA sections involved