C-255 (45-1) - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (mischief — religious property)
Chamber
commons
Stage
1st Reading
Introduced
Nov 6, 2025
Progress
This bill increases criminal penalties for vandalism or damage to religious buildings, objects, and cemeteries.
Key Changes
- Creates a new specific Criminal Code offence for mischief against religious property, separate from general mischief provisions
- Introduces mandatory minimum compensation of $1,000 to the property owner for every offence
- Adds mandatory minimum jail time of 14 days for a second offence
- Adds mandatory minimum jail time of 30 days for each offence after the second
- Sets a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment when prosecuted by indictment
- Covers churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, associated religious objects, and cemeteries
Gotchas
- Mandatory minimum sentences in Canada have faced constitutional challenges under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, particularly Section 12 (protection against cruel and unusual treatment), which could affect this bill's enforceability
- The bill applies to both indictable and summary conviction proceedings, meaning mandatory minimums apply regardless of how the Crown chooses to prosecute
- The $1,000 compensation is a minimum — courts could order higher amounts depending on the actual damage caused
- The definition of 'religious property' is broad but not exhaustive; the listed examples (church, mosque, synagogue, temple) are illustrative, which may lead to court interpretation questions about other religious spaces
- The bill does not define what qualifies as an 'object associated with religious worship,' which could require judicial interpretation
Who's Affected
- People convicted of vandalism or damage to religious property
- Religious communities and organizations that own places of worship
- Cemetery owners and managers
- Crown prosecutors who must apply mandatory minimums
- Judges, whose sentencing discretion is limited by mandatory minimums
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- Mandatory minimum sentences in Canada have faced constitutional challenges under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, particularly Section 12 (protection against cruel and unusual treatment), which could affect this bill's enforceability
- The bill applies to both indictable and summary conviction proceedings, meaning mandatory minimums apply regardless of how the Crown chooses to prosecute
- The $1,000 compensation is a minimum — courts could order higher amounts depending on the actual damage caused
- The definition of 'religious property' is broad but not exhaustive; the listed examples (church, mosque, synagogue, temple) are illustrative, which may lead to court interpretation questions about other religious spaces
- The bill does not define what qualifies as an 'object associated with religious worship,' which could require judicial interpretation
Summary
Bill C-255 amends the Criminal Code to create a specific, tougher offence for mischief (vandalism or damage) committed against religious property. This includes churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, religious objects on their grounds, and cemeteries. The bill sets mandatory minimum punishments that increase with repeat offences. The bill affects anyone who damages or destroys religious property. It was introduced as a private member's bill by Mrs. Block on November 6, 2025, likely in response to concerns about rising incidents of vandalism targeting religious sites across Canada. Under the new rules, a first offence requires paying the property owner at least $1,000 in compensation. A second offence adds a minimum of 14 days in jail on top of the $1,000 compensation. Any further offences carry at least 30 days in jail plus the $1,000 compensation. More serious cases prosecuted by indictment could result in up to 10 years in prison.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses