Section 286.1 of the Criminal Code makes it an offence to obtain sexual services in exchange for payment, or to communicate with another person for the purpose of obtaining sexual services for consideration, regardless of where the conduct occurs. d’obtenir des services sexuels en échange d’une rétribution, ainsi que le fait de communiquer avec une personne dans le but d’obtenir de tels services moyennant rétribution, peu importe l’endroit où la conduite se produit.
The offence applies both to situations involving adults and to those involving persons under the age of eighteen, with significantly harsher penalties where a minor is involved.personne adulte que celles impliquant une personne âgée de moins de dix-huit ans, ces dernières entraînant des conséquences pénales beaucoup plus sévères.
(section 286.1(1))
A person commits an offence if they:
The offence can be prosecuted either by indictment or by summary conviction, depending on the circumstances.
The law applies regardless of location, whether the conduct occurs in a private residence, a vehicle, or a public place.peu importe le lieu, que les faits surviennent dans un endroit privé, un véhicule ou un endroit public.
(section 286.1(2))
A person commits an indictable offence if they:
In these cases, mandatory minimum jail sentences apply, and the offence is treated with particular severity by the courts. peines minimales obligatoires d’emprisonnement s’appliquent et les tribunaux traitent ces infractions avec une extrême sévérité.
Section 286.1 prohibits, among other things:
Obtaining sexual services in exchange for money or any other benefit;
Communicating with another person to arrange or seek sexual services for payment;
Engaging in this conduct in any location, public or private.
To secure a conviction, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the following elements.hors de tout doute raisonnable les éléments suivants.
The accused must have either:
Whether a particular act constitutes a “sexual service” is a question of fact, assessed based on the evidence and surrounding circumstances.
The prosecution must establish that the sexual services were sought or obtained in exchange for something of value, such as:
The payment does not need to be completed for the offence to be made out.pas besoin d’être versée pour que l’infraction soit complétée.
Section 286.1 targets conduct linked to sexual exploitation. It does not apply to consensual, ongoing relationships that are free from exploitative dynamics.
The offence may apply even outside the traditional context of sex work if the evidence shows an exploitative exchange involving sexual services for consideration (R. v. Rouse, 2020 NSCA 8).
The prosecution must prove that the accused:
It is not necessary to prove an intention to harm the other person—only that the accused knowingly participated in the prohibited conduct.pas nécessaire de démontrer une intention de nuire, mais plutôt une participation consciente au comportement interdit.
(section 286.1(2))
When the offence involves a person under eighteen, the prosecution must prove:
The offence is established regardless of any apparent consent by the minor.sans aucune valeur juridique.
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A person exchanges messages online with another individual to arrange sexual services in return for money. The price and services are discussed, but no meeting ultimately takes place.
Even without a physical encounter, the communication alone may be sufficient to constitute the offence under section 286.1(1).
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A person communicates with a teenager to arrange sexual services in exchange for payment.
Regardless of whether a meeting occurs or whether the minor appears to consent, the offence under section 286.1(2) may be complete as soon as the communication takes place.
Procuring (Pimping) is a serious indictable offence punishable by:
This is a hybrid offence:
up to five (5) years of imprisonment, with mandatory minimum fines depending on the location and circumstances.
a maximum fine of $5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to two (2) years less one day, with minimum fines set by law.
Penalties increase when the offence occurs in public places or near locations where minors are reasonably expected to be present, such as parks or school grounds.
This is an indictable offence punishable by:
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