Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)

Marginal note:Defence — property

• 35 (1) A person is not guilty of an offence if

  • (a) they either believe on reasonable grounds that they are in peaceable possession of property or are acting under the authority of, or lawfully assisting, a person whom they believe on reasonable grounds is in peaceable possession of property;

  • (b) they believe on reasonable grounds that another person

    • (i) is about to enter, is entering or has entered the property without being entitled by law to do so,

    • (ii) is about to take the property, is doing so or has just done so, or

    • (iii) is about to damage or destroy the property, or make it inoperative, or is doing so;

  • (c) the act that constitutes the offence is committed for the purpose of

    • (i) preventing the other person from entering the property, or removing that person from the property, or

    • (ii) preventing the other person from taking, damaging or destroying the property or from making it inoperative, or retaking the property from that person; and

  • (d) the act committed is reasonable in the circumstances.

• Marginal note:No defence

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the person who believes on reasonable grounds that they are, or who is believed on reasonable grounds to be, in peaceable possession of the property does not have a claim of right to it and the other person is entitled to its possession by law.

• Marginal note:No defence

  (3) Subsection (1) does not apply if the other person is doing something that they are required or authorized by law to do in the administration or enforcement of the law, unless the person who commits the act that constitutes the offence believes on reasonable grounds that the other person is acting unlawfully.