5 years (death/bodily harm threats) / 2 years (property/animal threats)
Hybrid offence. Death or bodily harm threats carry a 5-year maximum: criminality under IRPA s.36(2). Property/animal threats carry a 2-year maximum. While not serious criminality, uttering threats creates inadmissibility for foreign nationals.
Saying or sending something that threatens harm, whether the person meant to carry it out or not. Threats against a person carry a 5 year ceiling and threats against property or an animal carry 2, both below serious criminality. Either version still makes a foreign national inadmissible.
(1) Every one commits an offence who, in any manner, knowingly utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat (a) to cause death or bodily harm to any person; (b) to burn, destroy or damage real or personal property; or (c) to kill, poison or injure an animal or bird that is the property of any person. (2) Every one who commits an offence under paragraph (1)(a) is guilty of (a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction. (3) Every one who commits an offence under paragraph (1)(b) or (c) (a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or (b) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.