View source for Detention Order for Things Seized Under Section 489 or 487.11

[[fr:Ordonnance_de_détention_pour_les_objets_saisis_en_vertu_de_l'article_489_ou_487.11]]
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==General Principles==
{{seealso|Procedure on Seizure of Property}}

Section 490 provides for a comprehensive scheme for the management, return or disposition of items that have been seized without a warrant under s. 489 (in execution of warrant or police duties) or 487.11 (exigent circumstances).
<ref>
{{CanLIIRx|Gehl|1z90n|2008 ONCJ 305 (CanLII)}}{{perONCJ|Cuthbertson J}}{{atL|1z90n|10}}<br>
{{CanLIIRxC|Application under s. 490(9.1) of the Criminal Code|2dg72|2010 ONCJ 546 (CanLII)}}
</ref>

Where property seized under s.489.1 has been brought before a justice or a report has been made to justice, the court has an obligation under s. 490 to "supervise its detention."<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Backhouse|1jvwn|2005 CanLII 4937 (ON CA)|[2005] OJ No 754}}{{perONCA|Rosenberg JA}}{{atL|1jvwn|112}} ("Section 490 provides that where things have been brought before a justice or a report made to a justice in respect of anything seized under s. 489.1, there is an obligation on the justice to supervise its detention.")</ref>

Where there are privacy interests in the thing seized they remain in place throughout the duration of the seizure.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Colarusso|1frw6|1994 CanLII 134 (SCC)|[1994] 1 SCR 20}}{{perSCC|La Forest J}} {{atL|1frw6|91}}
</ref>

; Making Copies
Records seized and detained under s. 490 may be copied.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Garcia-Machado|gkjkl|2015 ONCA 569 (CanLII)|327 CCC (3d) 215}}{{perONCA|Hoy ACJ}}{{atL|gkjkl|66}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Pèse Pêche Inc|fz62s|2013 NBCA 37 (CanLII)|1050 APR 212}}{{perNBCA|Deschênes JA}} <br>
</ref>
The police may keep the copies even if the originals are ordered to be returned under s. 490(15).<ref>
{{ibid1|Pèse Pêche Inc}}  ("In addition, the investigators have an unequivocal right to keep copies of the seized documents, which they were ordered to return to the appellants (s. 490(13) of the Criminal Code)")
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

==Specific Scenarios==
===Inventory Searches===
{{seealso|Ancillary Powers Doctrine}}
Seizure of property will create an authority to perform a warrantless search the items seized for the purpose itemizing them and ensuring safe keeping. It cannot be searched for the purpose of advancing an investigation.<ref>
{{CanLIIRx|Adam|fr1p8|2012 ABPC 77 (CanLII)}}{{perABPC|Groves J}}<br> 
{{CanLIIRP|Wint|225zz|2009 ONCA 52 (CanLII)|184 CRR (2d) 57}}{{TheCourtONCA}}</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

===Seizure by Non-Peace Officers===
{{quotation2|
489.1<br>
{{removed|(1)}}
; Person other than peace officer
(2) Subject to this or any other Act of Parliament, if a person other than a peace officer has seized anything under a warrant issued under this Act, under section 487.11 {{AnnSec4|487.11}} or 489 {{AnnSec4|489}}, or otherwise in the execution of duties under this or any other Act of Parliament, that person shall, as soon as is practicable and so that the thing seized may be dealt with in accordance with subsection 490(1) {{AnnSec4|490(1)}},
:(a) bring the thing before a justice having jurisdiction in respect of the matter and, in the case of a warrant, jurisdiction in the province in which the warrant was issued; or
:(b) report to the justice referred to in paragraph (a) {{AnnSec4|489.1(2)(a)}} that the thing has been seized and is being detained.
<br>
{{removed|(3)}}
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 72; 
{{LegHistory90s|1993, c. 40}}, s. 17; {{LegHistory90s|1997, c. 18}}, s. 49;
{{LegHistory20s|2022, c. 17}}, s. 26.
{{Annotation}}
|{{CCCSec2|489.1}}
|{{NoteUp|489.1|2}}
}}
{{reflist|2}}

==Initial Detention Order==
{{seealso|Procedure on Seizure of Property}}
Section 490 governs the procedure for detaining property seized under s. 489 or 489.1, including obtaining the approval of justice to detain the property for a period of time.
An order can be made by a justice of the peace to allow the police to detain property under s.490(1):

{{quotation2|
; Detention of things seized
490 (1) Subject to this or any other Act of Parliament, where, pursuant to paragraph 489.1(1)(b) {{AnnSec4|489.1(1)(b)}} or subsection 489.1(2) {{AnnSec4|489.1(2)}}, anything that has been seized is brought before a justice or a report in respect of anything seized is made to a justice, the justice shall,
:(a) where the lawful owner or person who is lawfully entitled to possession of the thing seized is known, order it to be returned to that owner or person, unless the prosecutor, or the peace officer or other person having custody of the thing seized, satisfies the justice that the detention of the thing seized is required for the purposes of any investigation or a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding; or
:(b) where the prosecutor, or the peace officer or other person having custody of the thing seized, satisfies the justice that the thing seized should be detained for a reason set out in paragraph (a), detain the thing seized or order that it be detained, taking reasonable care to ensure that it is preserved until the conclusion of any investigation or until it is required to be produced for the purposes of a preliminary inquiry, trial or other proceeding.

{{removed|(2), (3), (3.1), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (9.1), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17) and (18)}}
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. C-46}}, s. 490; 
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 73; 
{{LegHistory90s|1994, c. 44}}, s. 38; 
{{LegHistory90s|1997, c. 18}}, s. 50; 
{{LegHistory00s|2008, c. 18}}, s. 14.
{{Annotation}}
|{{CCCSec2|490}}
|{{NoteUp|490|1}}
}}

; Purpose
Section 489.1 and 490, together set out an administrative scheme for managing detained property in the course of a criminal investigation as well as returning property.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Mann|fsdzc|2012 BCSC 1247 (CanLII)|266 CRR (2d) 49}}{{perBCSC|Bernard J}}{{atsL|fsdzc|71|}} and {{atsL-np|fsdzc|83|}}</ref>

Making a return to the justice is "an integral and essential aspect of the legal execution of the warrant."<Ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Guiller|gdmx7|1985 CanLII 5996 (ON SC)|48 CR (3d) 226, 15 WCB 40}}{{perONSC-H|Borins J}}{{atL|gdmx7|41}} ("I have no doubt that the necessity of making a return is an integral and essential aspect of the legal execution of search warrant.  As I will explain, the failure to act in compliance with [the section] removes an important safeguard to the invasion of privacy rights permitted by that section.  It is the courts and not the police who determine whether adequate grounds exist for retaining seized materials.  When the provisions of [the section] have not been met the search is rendered unlawful")
</ref>

The purpose of s. 490(1) to (3) is to "enable police to effectively carry out criminal investigations while, at the same time, invoking the Court’s supervisory powers to ensure that there is a proper basis for detaining and continuing to detain items seized and protecting the privacy interests of citizens."<ref>
{{CanLIIRPC|Canada Revenue Agency v Nathaniel Okoroafor|29jl3|2010 ONSC 2477 (CanLII)|259 CCC (3d) 87}}{{perONSC|Durno J}} {{atL|29jl3|18}}
</ref>

It is also to prevent potential laches or lack of good faith on the part of the police and to avoid the items being forgotten.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Adams|1qnzm|2007 NSPC 1 (CanLII)|802 APR 110}}{{AtL|1qnzm|31}} ("purpose has been said to be to prevent the potential for laches and the lack of good faith on the part of seizing authorities and to protect things seized from being forgotten.")<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Moyer|1wctd|1994 CanLII 7551 (ON SC)|95 CCC (3d) 174}}{{perONSC-P|Fedak J}}{{Atp|178}}
</ref>

These provisions establish "a predictable, fair, efficient, and orderly procedure for the detention, retention, return, and forfeiture of seized items, consistent with the interests of justice." Non-compliance is not to be translated into "substantive trial remedies" such as a stay of proceedings. Failure to comply may result in the return of the property. However, a judge "may not make such an order if it is not in the interests of justice to do so."
<ref>
{{supra1|Mann}}{{atL|fsdzc|83}}<br>
see also {{CanLIIRP|Arason|1d9tq|1992 CanLII 1008 (BC CA)| (1992), 21 BCAC 20}}{{perBCCA|Cumming JA}} (Report to Justice is “an administrative procedure to be carried out after the completion of a search. Non compliance with it ought not to affect the validity of the search itself.")<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Berube|1mvr2|1999 CanLII 13241 (QC CA)|139 CCC (3d) 304}}{{perQCCA|Biron JA}} : late filing was a technicality and not enough to invalidate search<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Karim|fs5p1|2012 ABQB 470 (CanLII)|546 AR 57}}{{perABQB|Hughes J}} ("I can think of no [...] situation in our criminal law where a lawful act that meets the requirements of the Charter, ...can subsequently become non Charter compliant because of another action separated by time.") 
</ref>

These provisions "safeguard in the balance between the state’s jurisdiction to invade the privacy rights of citizens and the high value that Parliament and the courts have seen fit to ascribe to those rights."<ref>
{{supra1|Pickton}}{{atL|2c72m|60}}</ref>

; Mandatory Obligations
The obligations imposed by s. 489.1 and 490 are mandatory.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Pickton|2c72m|2006 BCSC 1098 (CanLII)|260 CCC (3d) 232}}{{perBCSC|Williams J}}{{atL|2c72m|60}}</ref>

; Consequence of Failure to Comply
Some courts have suggested that a failure to comply with the provisions, in particular, make a filing under s.489.1, will render the search unlawful.<ref>
{{supra1|Guiller}}: ("When the provisions of [the section] have not been met the search is rendered unlawful") evidence excluded under s.24(2)<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Noseworthy|1wctm|1995 CanLII 7425 (ON SC)|101 CCC (3d) 447}}{{perONSC|Sedgwick J}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Macneil|1nh1d|1994 CanLII 4314 (NS SC)|130 NSR (2d) 202 (NSSC)}}{{perNSSC|Davison J}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Backhouse|1jvwn|2005 CanLII 4937 (ON CA)|194 CCC (3d) 1}}{{perONCA-H|Rosenberg JA}} at para 115
</ref> 

Still other courts have been reluctant to provide trial remedies.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Martens|1j2gw|2004 BCSC 1450 (CanLII)|BCJ No 2300}}{{perBCSC|Davies J}}{{atL|1j2gw|264}}<br> 
{{CanLIIRx|Valiquette|2d4b8|2010 BCSC 1423 (CanLII)}}{{perBCSC|Halfyard J}}<br>
{{CanLIIRx|Patterson|fqcwl|2011 BCSC 1728 (CanLII)}}{{perBCSC|Blok J}}</ref>

The failure to file a report to justice has been described as a "continuing" breach that may taint the whole process.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Garcia-Machado|g373v|2014 ONCJ 81 (CanLII)|302 CRR (2d) 151}}{{perONCJ|Band J}}{{atL|g373v|42}}
</ref>

; Onus of Proof
The onus is on the applicant to prove on a balance of probabilities that the provisions were not complied with.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Mann|fsdzc|2012 BCSC 1247 (CanLII)|266 CRR (2d) 49}}{{perBCSC|Bernard J}}{{atL|fsdzc|75}}</ref>

; Effect of Order
Once the property has been detained under s. 490, it is considered "under the control of the court, not the Crown or anyone else." Thus, can only be disposed of pursuant to an order of the court.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Bellefleur|gdbft|1992 CanLII 7844 (SK QB)|[1992] S.J. No 473 (Q.B.)}}{{perSKQB|Armstrong J}}</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

===Duration of Initial Detention===
{{quotation2|
490<br>
{{removed|(1)}}
; Further detention
(2) Nothing shall be detained under the authority of paragraph (1)(b) {{AnnSec4|490(1)(b)}} for a period of more than three months after the day of the seizure, or any longer period that ends when an application made under paragraph (a) is decided, unless
:(a) a justice, on the making of a summary application to him after three clear days notice thereof to the person from whom the thing detained was seized, is satisfied that, having regard to the nature of the investigation, its further detention for a specified period is warranted and the justice so orders; or
:(b) proceedings are instituted in which the thing detained may be required.

{{removed|(3), (3.1), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (9.1), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17) and (18)}}
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. C-46}}, s. 490; 
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 73; 
{{LegHistory90s|1994, c. 44}}, s. 38; 
{{LegHistory90s|1997, c. 18}}, s. 50; 
{{LegHistory00s|2008, c. 18}}, s. 14.
{{Annotation}}
|{{CCCSec2|490}}
|{{NoteUp|490|2}}
}}

Section 490(2) provides no authority for the return of property seized from an unlawful seizure.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Raponi|1hgvw|2004 SCC 50 (CanLII)|[2004] 3 SCR 35}}{{perSCC-H|McLachlin CJ}}{{atL|1hgvw|31}}<br>
</ref>

The reference to "justice" requires that the application be heard by a justice of the peace ''or'' a judge of the provincial court.<ref>
see s. 2 "justice" and [[Definition of Judicial Officers and Offices]]
</ref>

; Notice

{{quotation2|
490<br>
{{removed|(1), (2), (3), (3.1), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (9.1), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16) and (17)}}
; Waiver of notice
(18) Any person to whom three days notice must be given under paragraph (2)(a) {{AnnSec4|490(2)(a)}} or (3)(a) {{AnnSec4|490(3)(a)}} or subsection (7) {{AnnSec4|490(7)}}, (10) {{AnnSec4|490(10)}} or (15) {{AnnSec4|490(15)}} may agree that the application for which the notice is given be made before the expiration of the three days.
<br>
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. C-46}}, s. 490; 
R.S., {{LegHistory80s|1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.)}}, s. 73; 
{{LegHistory90s|1994, c. 44}}, s. 38; 
{{LegHistory90s|1997, c. 18}}, s. 50; 
{{LegHistory00s|2008, c. 18}}, s. 14.
{{Annotation}}
|{{CCCSec2|490}}
|{{NoteUp|490|18}}
}}
{{reflist|2}}

==Extending Initial Detention Order==
* [[Extending an Initial Detention Order]] 490(3) and (3.1)

==See Also==
* [[Warrantless Seizure Under Section 489]]
* [[Access to Things Detained Under Section 490]] 
* [[Access to Court-Filed Exhibits]]
* [[Return of Things Seized to Lawful Owners]]
* [[History of Detention Provisions (Sections 489, 489.1 and 490)]]

{{Reflist|2}}