In the Criminal Code of Canada, what is a serious criminal offence referred to as?

In the Criminal Code of Canada, a serious criminal offence is designated as an indictable offence. This classification encompasses more severe crimes that typically carry harsher penalties and involve more complex legal proceedings compared to less serious offences. For example, indictable offences can involve significant prison time, and the accused may have the right to choose whether to be tried by a judge alone or by a judge and jury.

Indictable offences are considered to be more severe than summary conviction offences, which are usually dealt with through a much simpler and quicker legal process, resulting in less severe penalties. Hybrid offences can fall under either category depending on the circumstances and prosecutorial discretion, whereas provincial offences typically pertain to regulations and laws enacted by provincial governments rather than serious crimes addressed in the Criminal Code.

Understanding this distinction is crucial in the context of criminal law as it highlights the varying degrees of severity and legal ramifications associated with different types of offences.