i) A project manager of a construction company received three and one-half years imprisonment after being found guilty of criminal negligence in relation to his role in a construction accident that resulted in the deaths of five individuals. This is the harshest sentence that has been given by a Canadian court under Bill C-45, amendments to the criminal negligence provisions of the Criminal Code. This decision is currently under appeal.
ii) A company in Alberta was recently sentenced to eighteen (18) months of corporate probation and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. This is the first time that community service has been ordered against an employer in Alberta for an occupational health and safety violation.