S-233 (45-1) - An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assault against persons who provide health services and first responders)
Chamber
senate
Stage
3rd Reading
Introduced
Sep 23, 2025
Progress
This bill makes assaulting a healthcare worker or first responder an aggravating factor at sentencing.
Key Changes
- Adds a new section (269.02) to the Criminal Code listing assault of a healthcare worker or first responder as an aggravating circumstance at sentencing
- Applies to a range of existing assault offences under sections 266 to 269 of the Criminal Code, as well as uttering threats under section 264.1(1)(a)
- Requires — not just allows — courts to consider this aggravating factor when sentencing
- Covers healthcare workers broadly, including those providing personal care services
- Covers first responders only when they are engaged in the performance of their duty at the time of the assault
Gotchas
- The bill does not create a new or separate criminal offence — it only affects sentencing for existing assault charges
- The aggravating circumstance applies only when the first responder or healthcare worker was on duty at the time of the assault
- The term 'first responder' is not explicitly defined in the bill text, which could lead to interpretation questions in court
- A similar aggravating circumstance for assaults on peace officers already exists in the Criminal Code, so this bill extends comparable protection to a broader group of workers
- Adding an aggravating factor does not guarantee a longer sentence; judges retain discretion in weighing all circumstances
Who's Affected
- Healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, paramedics, personal care workers, etc.)
- First responders (police officers, firefighters, paramedics, etc.)
- People convicted of assaulting these workers, who may face harsher sentences
- Judges, who are required to apply this new sentencing consideration
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill does not create a new or separate criminal offence — it only affects sentencing for existing assault charges
- The aggravating circumstance applies only when the first responder or healthcare worker was on duty at the time of the assault
- The term 'first responder' is not explicitly defined in the bill text, which could lead to interpretation questions in court
- A similar aggravating circumstance for assaults on peace officers already exists in the Criminal Code, so this bill extends comparable protection to a broader group of workers
- Adding an aggravating factor does not guarantee a longer sentence; judges retain discretion in weighing all circumstances
Summary
Bill S-233 amends the Criminal Code to require judges to treat it as an aggravating circumstance — meaning a reason to impose a harsher sentence — when someone assaults a person who provides health services (including personal care) or a first responder while they are on duty. The bill was introduced in response to a reported increase in violence against healthcare workers and first responders such as paramedics, firefighters, and police officers. The idea is that people in these roles take on significant risk to care for and protect others, and the justice system should reflect that by treating attacks on them more seriously. This change does not create a new criminal offence. Instead, it adds to the list of factors a judge must weigh when deciding how severe a sentence should be for existing assault-related offences under the Criminal Code.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses