Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (S.C. 1996, c. 19)

Marginal note:Voidable transfers

18 A court may, before ordering that property be forfeited under subsection 16(1) or 17(2), set aside any conveyance or transfer of the property that occurred after the property was seized or restrained, unless the conveyance or transfer was for valuable consideration to a person acting in good faith.

Marginal note:Notice

• 19 (1) Before making an order under subsection 16(1) or 17(2) in relation to any property, a court shall require notice in accordance with subsection (2) to be given to, and may hear, any person who, in the opinion of the court, appears to have a valid interest in the property.

• Marginal note:Manner of giving notice

  (2) A notice shall

  • (a) be given in the manner that the court directs or that may be specified in the rules of the court;

  • (b) specify the period that the court considers reasonable or that may be set out in the rules of the court during which a person may make an application to the court asserting their interest in the property; and

  • (c) set out the designated substance offence charged and a description of the property.

• Marginal note:Order of restoration of property

  (3) Where a court is satisfied that any person, other than

  • (a) a person who was charged with a designated substance offence, or

  • (b) a person who acquired title to or a right of possession of the property from a person referred to in paragraph (a) under circumstances that give rise to a reasonable inference that the title or right was transferred for the purpose of avoiding the forfeiture of the property,

  is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession of any property or any part of any property that would otherwise be forfeited pursuant to an order made under subsection 16(1) or 17(2) and that the person appears innocent of any complicity in an offence referred to in paragraph (a) or of any collusion in relation to such an offence, the court may order that the property or part be returned to that person.

Marginal note:Notice

• 19.1 (1) If all or part of the property that would otherwise be forfeited under subsection 16(1) or 17(2) is a dwelling-house, before making an order of forfeiture, a court shall require notice in accordance with subsection (2) to be given to and may hear any person who resides in the dwelling-house and is a member of the immediate family of the person charged with or convicted, or discharged under section 730 of the Criminal Code, of the indictable offence under this Act in relation to which the property would be forfeited.

• Marginal note:Manner of giving notice

  (2) A notice shall

  • (a) be given in the manner that the court directs or that may be specified in the rules of the court;

  • (b) specify the period that the court considers reasonable or that may be set out in the rules of the court during which a member of the immediate family who resides in the dwelling-house may make themselves known to the court; and

  • (c) set out the offence charged and a description of the property.

• Marginal note:Non-forfeiture of real property

  (3) Subject to an order made under subsection 19(3), if a court is satisfied that the impact of an order of forfeiture made under subsection 16(1) or 17(2) in respect of real property would be disproportionate to the nature and gravity of the offence, the circumstances surrounding the commission of the offence and the criminal record, if any, of the person charged with or convicted, or discharged under section 730 of the Criminal Code, of the offence, as the case may be, it may decide not to order the forfeiture of the property or part of the property and may revoke any restraint order made in respect of that property or part.

• Marginal note:Factors in relation to dwelling-house

  (4) Where all or part of the property that would otherwise be forfeited under subsection 16(1) or 17(2) is a dwelling-house, when making a decision under subsection (3), the court shall also consider

  • (a) the impact of an order of forfeiture on any member of the immediate family of the person charged with or convicted or discharged of the offence, if the dwelling-house was the member’s principal residence at the time the charge was laid and continues to be the member’s principal residence; and

  • (b) whether the member referred to in paragraph (a) appears innocent of any complicity in the offence or of any collusion in relation to the offence.

Marginal note:Application

• 20 (1) If any property is forfeited to Her Majesty under an order made under subsection 16(1) or 17(2), any person who claims an interest in the property, other than

  • (a) in the case of property forfeited under an order made under subsection 16(1), a person who was convicted, or discharged under section 730 of the Criminal Code, of the designated substance offence in relation to which the property was forfeited,

  • (b) in the case of property forfeited pursuant to an order made under subsection 17(2), a person who was charged with the designated substance offence in relation to which the property was forfeited, or

  • (c) a person who acquired title to or a right of possession of the property from a person referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) under circumstances that give rise to a reasonable inference that the title or right was transferred from that person for the purpose of avoiding the forfeiture of the property,

  may, within thirty days after the forfeiture, apply by notice in writing to a judge for an order under subsection (4).

• Marginal note:Fixing day for hearing

  (2) The judge to whom an application is made under subsection (1) shall fix a day not less than thirty days after the date of the filing of the application for the hearing of the application.

• Marginal note:Notice

  (3) An applicant shall serve a notice of the application made under subsection (1) and of the hearing of it on the Attorney General at least fifteen days before the day fixed for the hearing.

• Marginal note:Order declaring interest not affected by forfeiture

  (4) Where, on the hearing of an application made under subsection (1), the judge is satisfied that the applicant

  • (a) is not a person referred to in paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) and appears innocent of any complicity in any designated substance offence that resulted in the forfeiture of the property or of any collusion in relation to such an offence, and

  • (b) exercised all reasonable care to be satisfied that the property was not likely to have been used in connection with the commission of an unlawful act by the person who was permitted by the applicant to obtain possession of the property or from whom the applicant obtained possession or, where the applicant is a mortgagee or lienholder, by the mortgagor or lien-giver,

  the judge may make an order declaring that the interest of the applicant is not affected by the forfeiture and declaring the nature and the extent or value of the interest.

• Marginal note:Appeal from order made under subsection (4)

  (5) An applicant or the Attorney General may appeal to the court of appeal from an order made under subsection (4), and the provisions of Part XXI of the Criminal Code with respect to procedure on appeals apply, with such modifications as the circumstances require, in respect of appeals under this subsection.

• Marginal note:Return of property

  (6) The Minister shall, on application made to the Minister by any person in respect of whom a judge has made an order under subsection (4), and where the periods with respect to the taking of appeals from that order have expired and any appeal from that order taken under subsection (5) has been determined, direct that

  • (a) the property, or the part of it to which the interest of the applicant relates, be returned to the applicant; or

  • (b) an amount equal to the value of the interest of the applicant, as declared in the order, be paid to the applicant.

Marginal note:Appeals from orders under subsection 17(2)

21 Any person who, in their opinion, is aggrieved by an order made under subsection 17(2) may appeal from the order as if the order were an appeal against conviction or against a judgment or verdict of acquittal, as the case may be, under Part XXI of the Criminal Code, and that Part applies, with such modifications as the circumstances require, in respect of such an appeal.

Marginal note:Suspension of order pending appeal

22 Notwithstanding anything in this Act, the operation of an order made in respect of property under subsection 16(1), 17(2) or 20(4) is suspended pending

• (a) any application made in respect of the property under any of those provisions or any other provision of this or any other Act of Parliament that provides for restoration or forfeiture of the property, or

• (b) any appeal taken from an order of forfeiture or restoration in respect of the property,

and the property shall not be disposed of or otherwise dealt with until thirty days have expired after an order is made under any of those provisions.

DIVISION 2Controlled Substances, Precursors and Chemical Offence-related Property

Marginal note:Return

• 23 (1) A peace officer, inspector or prescribed person who seizes, finds or otherwise acquires a controlled substance, precursor or chemical offence-related property may return it to the person who is its lawful owner or who is lawfully entitled to its possession if the peace officer, inspector or prescribed person is satisfied

  • (a) that there is no dispute as to who is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession of the substance, precursor or property; and

  • (b) that the continued detention of the substance, precursor or property is not required for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament.

• Marginal note:Receipt

  (2) When the substance, precursor or property is returned, the peace officer, inspector or prescribed person shall obtain a receipt for it.

• Marginal note:Report by peace officer

  (3) In the case of a seizure made under section 11 of this Act, the Criminal Code or a power of seizure at common law, the peace officer shall make a report about the return to the justice who issued the warrant or another justice for the same territorial division or, if a warrant was not issued, a justice who would have had jurisdiction to issue a warrant.

Marginal note:Application for return

• 24 (1) If a controlled substance, precursor or chemical offence-related property has been seized, found or otherwise acquired by a peace officer, inspector or prescribed person, any person may, within 60 days after the date of the seizure, finding or acquisition, on prior notification being given to the Attorney General in the prescribed manner, apply, by notice in writing to a justice in the jurisdiction in which it is being detained, for an order to return it to the person.

• Marginal note:Order to return as soon as practicable

  (2) If, on the hearing of an application made under subsection (1), a justice is satisfied that an applicant is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession of the substance, precursor or property and the Attorney General does not indicate that it or a portion of it may be required for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, the justice shall, subject to subsection (5), order that it or the portion be returned as soon as practicable to the applicant.

• Marginal note:Order to return at specified time

  (3) If, on the hearing of an application made under subsection (1), a justice is satisfied that an applicant is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession of the substance, precursor or property but the Attorney General indicates that it or a portion of it may be required for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, the justice shall, subject to subsection (5), order that it or the portion be returned to the applicant

  • (a) on the expiry of 180 days after the day on which the application was made, if no proceeding in relation to it has been commenced before that time; or

  • (b) on the final conclusion of the proceeding or any other proceeding in relation to it, if the applicant is not found guilty in those proceedings of an offence committed in relation to it.

• Marginal note:Forfeiture order

  (4) If, on the hearing of an application made under subsection (1), a justice is not satisfied that an applicant is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession of the substance, precursor or property, and it or a portion of it is not required for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, the justice shall order that it or the portion be forfeited to Her Majesty to be disposed of or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the regulations or, if there are no applicable regulations, in the manner that the Minister directs.

• Marginal note:Payment of compensation in lieu

  (5) If, on the hearing of an application made under subsection (1), a justice is satisfied that an applicant is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession of the substance, precursor or property, but it was disposed of or otherwise dealt with under section 26, the justice shall order that an amount equal to its value be paid to the applicant.

Marginal note:Forfeiture if no application

25 If no application for the return of a controlled substance, precursor or chemical offence-related property has been made under subsection 24(1) within 60 days after the date of the seizure, finding or acquisition by a peace officer, inspector or prescribed person and it or a portion of it is not required for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, it or the portion is forfeited to Her Majesty and may be disposed of or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the regulations or, if there are no applicable regulations, in the manner that the Minister directs.

Marginal note:Expedited disposition

26 If a precursor or chemical offence-related property — whose storage or handling poses a risk to health or safety — or a controlled substance, or a portion of any of them, is not required for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, it or the portion may be disposed of or otherwise dealt with by the Minister, a peace officer or a prescribed person in accordance with the regulations or, if there are no applicable regulations, in the manner that the Minister directs.

Marginal note:Disposition following proceedings

27 Subject to section 24, if, in a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, the court before which the proceedings have been brought is satisfied that any controlled substance, precursor or chemical offence-related property that is the subject of proceedings before the court is no longer required by that court or any other court, the court

• (a) shall

  • (i) if it is satisfied that the person from whom the substance, precursor or property was seized came into possession of it lawfully and continued to deal with it lawfully, order that it be returned to the person, or

  • (ii) if it is satisfied that possession of the substance, precursor or property by the person from whom it was seized is unlawful and the person who is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to its possession is known, order that it be returned to the person who is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to its possession; and

• (b) may, if it is not satisfied that the substance, precursor or property should be returned under subparagraph (a)(i) or (ii) or if possession of it by the person from whom it was seized is unlawful and the person who is the lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to its possession is not known, order that it be forfeited to Her Majesty to be disposed of or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the regulations or, if there are no applicable regulations, in the manner that the Minister directs.