Contravention Fines Increased for CEPA Offences

Summary#

These are final amendments to the Contraventions Regulations that update the ticket fines for offences under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The change raises many ticket fines from $500 to $1,000 and makes technical edits and some removals of ticketable items; the amendments came into force on registration (December 8, 2023) and were published on December 20, 2023.

What it does#

• Raises the prescribed fine for many contraventions listed in Schedule I.3 of the Contraventions Regulations from $500 to $1,000.
• Updates the Schedule to reflect more accurate short-form descriptions and to remove (repeal) 15 specific contraventions that were mainly administrative or redundant.
• Applies to contraventions tied to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and to many of its regulations — examples include:
  • Asbestos Mines and Mills Release Regulations
  • Benzene in Gasoline Regulations
  • PCB Regulations
  • Regulations Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Natural Gas-fired Generation of Electricity
  • Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds (Upstream Oil and Gas Sector)
• Confirms the changes are intended to improve the effectiveness of the ticketing (contraventions) system as an enforcement tool rather than create new offences.

Who's affected#

• Regulated businesses and facilities covered by the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the many named regulations above — for example:
  • chemical and new‑substances companies,
  • oil and gas operators,
  • power generators (natural gas and coal),
  • pulp and paper mills,
  • lead smelters and other industrial facilities,
  • dry cleaners and automotive refinishers,
  • operators who handle PCBs, asbestos or products containing mercury.
• Enforcement officers and agencies that issue federal contravention tickets.
• Provinces and territories that help administer federal contraventions (for court or payment processing).
• The government notes that the changes do not add new compliance duties and that the small business lens found no new administrative burden.

Why it matters#

• If you break one of these listed environmental rules and are issued a contravention ticket, the standard voluntary fine will now generally be $1,000 instead of $500 — a direct increase in the financial penalty for non‑compliance.
• The government says the increase is meant to keep ticket fines effective as a deterrent and to make the ticketing option a practical alternative to lengthy criminal or court processes.
• Repealing some ticketable items does not legalize the conduct; it usually removes duplicative or unenforceable ticket entries while leaving underlying rules in force.
• For most people and businesses that follow the rules, day‑to‑day obligations do not change. For those who do not, expected enforcement responses may become more likely and slightly more costly.