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Criminal Code

s. 220 Causing Death by Criminal Negligence

Causing death by criminal negligence

  • Homicide & Related
  • Homicide
Maximum sentence
Life imprisonment
Classification
Indictable

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

The law says

Criminal Code s. 220
Verify on justice.gc.ca(opens in a new tab)

Every person who by criminal negligence causes death to another person is guilty of an indictable offence and liable (a) where a firearm is used in the commission of the offence, to imprisonment for life and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of four years; and

  • (b)in any other case, to imprisonment for life.
Amendment History (2)
  • R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 220
  • 1995, c. 39, s. 141

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

Immigration

Where this offence sits under IRPA

The Crown must charge this offence by indictment, and it can bring a life sentence. A conviction is treated as serious criminality under IRPA s.36(1). Causing death by criminal negligence has severe and lasting immigration effects, and time alone does not clear it. The route is a record suspension for a conviction in Canada (s.36(3)(b)), or an application to be found rehabilitated for one outside Canada (s.36(3)(c)).

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

IRPA sections involved

Related sections

Criminal Code s. 222HomicideIndictableCriminal Code s. 229MurderIndictableCriminal Code s. 234ManslaughterIndictable