Chamber
commons
Stage
1st Reading
Introduced
Mar 13, 2026
Progress
This bill creates new Criminal Code offences for trafficking stolen scrap metal and damaging essential infrastructure components.
Key Changes
- Creates a new offence for knowingly trafficking or possessing scrap metal obtained through crime, with fines up to $10,000 and up to 10 years imprisonment for a first offence
- Creates a separate offence for scrap metal dealers who are reckless or wilfully blind about whether the metal they handle was stolen
- Establishes that stealing metal from infrastructure like electrical systems, railways, pipelines, or water systems is an aggravating factor at sentencing
- Adds a new mischief offence specifically for damaging physical components of essential infrastructure, knowing the infrastructure cannot function without that component
- Defines 'scrap metal' in law as copper, aluminum, brass, bronze, steel, or iron that has been dismantled or prepared for recycling or resale
- Increases penalties for repeat offenders, with fines up to $25,000 for a second or subsequent trafficking offence
Gotchas
- The dealer offence uses a lower standard of 'reckless or wilfully blind' rather than requiring proof of actual knowledge, meaning dealers can be convicted even if they did not know for certain the metal was stolen
- The definition of 'scrap metal' is limited to six specific metals and their alloys, so theft of other materials (e.g., titanium or nickel) would not fall under these provisions
- The mischief offence references 'essential infrastructure' as defined in subsection 52.1(2) of the Criminal Code, linking it to an existing legal definition that may include a broad range of systems
- The bill does not specify new record-keeping or licensing requirements for scrap metal dealers, which are often used in other jurisdictions to combat metal theft
- Penalties for the new mischief offence are the same as for the trafficking offence, which may limit judicial flexibility in distinguishing between very different types of conduct
Who's Affected
- Scrap metal dealers and recycling businesses
- People who steal or traffic in stolen metal
- Operators of essential infrastructure (electrical, telecom, rail, pipeline, water systems)
- Law enforcement and Crown prosecutors
- General public who rely on essential services
Vibes
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Gotchas
- The dealer offence uses a lower standard of 'reckless or wilfully blind' rather than requiring proof of actual knowledge, meaning dealers can be convicted even if they did not know for certain the metal was stolen
- The definition of 'scrap metal' is limited to six specific metals and their alloys, so theft of other materials (e.g., titanium or nickel) would not fall under these provisions
- The mischief offence references 'essential infrastructure' as defined in subsection 52.1(2) of the Criminal Code, linking it to an existing legal definition that may include a broad range of systems
- The bill does not specify new record-keeping or licensing requirements for scrap metal dealers, which are often used in other jurisdictions to combat metal theft
- Penalties for the new mischief offence are the same as for the trafficking offence, which may limit judicial flexibility in distinguishing between very different types of conduct
Summary
Bill C-271 amends the Criminal Code to address two related problems: the theft and resale of metals from critical infrastructure, and deliberate damage to essential infrastructure. It creates specific offences for trafficking scrap metal that was obtained through crime, and adds a new mischief offence targeting people who damage physical components of essential infrastructure like power grids, railways, pipelines, or water systems. The bill targets people who knowingly buy, sell, or move stolen scrap metal, as well as scrap metal dealers who are careless or deliberately ignorant about whether the metal they handle was stolen. Penalties are harsher for repeat offenders, and courts must treat it as more serious if the stolen metal came from public safety systems or critical services. This bill was likely introduced in response to growing incidents of metal theft from infrastructure — such as copper wire being stripped from electrical systems or railways — which can disrupt essential services and endanger public safety. It fills a gap in existing law by specifically targeting the trafficking side of metal theft, not just the theft itself.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses