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Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca← Back to IRPA ExplorerLast verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca
PART 3: Enforcement
§147

Garnishment

Garnishment

🍁 In Simple Terms

The government can go around you and collect from whoever is about to pay you. The Minister can order a third party, an employer for instance, to send some or all of that money to the Receiver General instead. Where wages are involved the order keeps applying to every future paycheque until the debt is cleared, and paying the government releases the payer from what they owed you.

Affects: Persons subject to removal or detention
Legal Text: IRPA Section 147

(1)If the Minister is of the opinion that a person is or is about to become liable to make a payment to a person liable to make a payment under this Act, the Minister may, by written notice, order the first person to pay to the Receiver General, on account of the second person’s liability, all or part of the money otherwise payable to the second person.

Discharge of liability

(3)The receipt of the Minister is a good and sufficient discharge of the original liability to the extent of the payment.

Regulations

(4)The regulations may provide for any matter relating to the application of this section.

In Practice
Official Source: Justice Canada: IRPA s. 147 (authoritative, may differ from this display)
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