Under section 264(1) of the Criminal Code, criminal harassment occurs when a person engages in certain conduct toward another individual without lawful authority, knowing that the other person feels harassed — or being reckless as to whether they do — and that conduct causes a reasonable fear for safety.sans autorisation légitime, en sachant que cette personne se sent harcelée — ou en ne se souciant pas de cet effet — et que ce comportement entraîne une crainte raisonnable pour la sécurité.
The fear does not have to relate only to physical harm. It can also involve psychological or emotional safety, depending on the circumstances.sécurité psychologique ou émotionnelle de la personne visée.
Section 264(2) of the Criminal Code sets out examples of behaviour that may constitute criminal harassment. This includes, but is not limited to:
Repeatedly following a person or someone close to them.
Repeatedly communicating with a person, directly or indirectly, including through calls, text messages, emails, or social media.
watching, monitoring, or lingering around a person’s home, workplace, or any place they regularly attend.
Behaving in a threatening or intimidating manner toward the person or a member of their family.
Not every unpleasant interaction is criminal harassment. The analysis always depends on the context, frequency, and impact of the conduct.toute interaction désagréable ne constitue pas du harcèlement criminel. Les tribunaux analysent toujours la situation en fonction du contexte, de la fréquence des gestes et de leur impact réel.
To secure a conviction for criminal harassment, the prosecution must prove each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt.hors de tout doute raisonnable
The accused must have engaged in at least one of the behaviours prohibited by section 264(2), such as repeated communication, surveillance, following, or threatening conduct.au moins un des comportements interdits par la loi, comme des communications répétées, une surveillance persistante, le fait de suivre quelqu’un ou des gestes à caractère menaçant.
While criminal harassment often involves a pattern of repeated behaviour, a single incident can be sufficient if it is serious enough or objectively threatening in nature.un seul événement peut parfois suffire s’il est suffisamment grave ou objectivement intimidant.
The complainant must have genuinely felt harassed as a result of the accused’s conduct. This goes beyond simple irritation or annoyance and may include:réellement sentie harcelée. Il ne s’agit pas d’un simple désagrément ou d’une irritation passagère. Le harcèlement implique plutôt :
Courts have confirmed that harassment involves a serious and sustained impact on a person’s well-being (R. v. Lamontagne, 1998).
The conduct must have caused the complainant to fear for their safety, or the safety of someone known to them.
This fear may relate to:
The fear must be both:
Courts assess this fear in light of the entire context, including the relationship between the parties and any prior history (R. v. J.A., 2024; R. v. Sheppard, 2022).
The focus of the analysis is not on what the accused claims they intended, but on how their conduct would reasonably be perceived.l’effet raisonnable de son comportement. La question centrale est de savoir si une personne raisonnable, dans la position du plaignant, aurait craint pour sa sécurité.
La question clé est de savoir si le comportement amènerait une personne raisonnable, placée dans la situation du plaignant, à craindre pour sa sécurité. Cette évaluation est objective (R. c. Sim, 2017).
Finally, the Crown must show that the accused:
The offence does not require proof that the accused intended to cause fear — only that they were aware of, or indifferent to, the impact of their behaviour (R. v. J.A., 2024).
After a relationship ends, one person begins sending daily text messages and emails to their former partner. They frequently appear near the partner’s workplace and repeatedly drive slowly past their residence. Despite clear requests to stop all contact, the behaviour continues.
Over time, the former partner becomes anxious, has trouble sleeping, and fears being followed.
Even without direct threats or physical violence, this persistent, intrusive conduct may amount to criminal harassment because it creates a reasonable fear for personal safety, both physical and psychological.
Criminal harassment is a hybrid offence under section 264(3) of the Criminal Code.infraction mixte.
Imprisonment for up to 10 years;dix ans d’emprisonnement.
penalties may include a fine, probation, or imprisonment, depending on the circumstances.
The sentence will depend on factors such as the seriousness of the conduct, the duration of the harassment, prior convictions, and whether court orders were breached.
Under section 264(4), the court must treat it as an aggravating factor if the offence was committed in violation:circonstance aggravante le fait que l’infraction ait été commise en violation :
A court order or recognizance, such as a peace bond; or
A no-contact order, undertaking, or similar legal condition imposed under federal or provincial law.
If the court chooses not to apply this aggravating factor, it must explain its reasons on the record (s. 264(5)).motiver sa décision de façon explicite.
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