Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)

Marginal note:Material benefit from sexual services

• 286.2 (1) Every person who receives a financial or other material benefit, knowing that it is obtained by or derived directly or indirectly from the commission of an offence under subsection 286.1(1), is guilty of

  • (a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years; or

  • (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

• Marginal note:Material benefit from sexual services provided by person under 18 years

  (2) Everyone who receives a financial or other material benefit, knowing that it is obtained by or derived directly or indirectly from the commission of an offence under subsection 286.1(2), is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 14 years and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of two years.

• Marginal note:Presumption

  (3) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2), evidence that a person lives with or is habitually in the company of a person who offers or provides sexual services for consideration is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof that the person received a financial or other material benefit from those services.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (4) Subject to subsection (5), subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a person who receives the benefit

  • (a) in the context of a legitimate living arrangement with the person from whose sexual services the benefit is derived;

  • (b) as a result of a legal or moral obligation of the person from whose sexual services the benefit is derived;

  • (c) in consideration for a service or good that they offer, on the same terms and conditions, to the general public; or

  • (d) in consideration for a service or good that they do not offer to the general public but that they offered or provided to the person from whose sexual services the benefit is derived, if they did not counsel or encourage that person to provide sexual services and the benefit is proportionate to the value of the service or good.

• Marginal note:No exception

  (5) Subsection (4) does not apply to a person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (2) if that person

  • (a) used, threatened to use or attempted to use violence, intimidation or coercion in relation to the person from whose sexual services the benefit is derived;

  • (b) abused a position of trust, power or authority in relation to the person from whose sexual services the benefit is derived;

  • (c) provided a drug, alcohol or any other intoxicating substance to the person from whose sexual services the benefit is derived for the purpose of aiding or abetting that person to offer or provide sexual services for consideration;

  • (d) engaged in conduct, in relation to any person, that would constitute an offence under section 286.3; or

  • (e) received the benefit in the context of a commercial enterprise that offers sexual services for consideration.

• Marginal note:Aggravating factor

  (6) If a person is convicted of an offence under this section, the court that imposes the sentence shall consider as an aggravating factor the fact that that person received the benefit in the context of a commercial enterprise that offers sexual services for consideration.