HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Insurance (Vehicle) Act

1 The definition of "vehicle indebtedness" in section 93.1 (1) of the Insurance (Vehicle) Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 231, is amended

(a) in paragraph (b) (ii) (A) by striking out "253 (a)" and substituting "253 (1) (a)", and

(b) in paragraph (b) (ii) (B) by striking out "253 (b)" and substituting "253 (1) (b)".

Motor Vehicle Act

2 The definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of the Motor Vehicle Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 318, is amended

(a) in paragraph (c) by striking out "253 (a) or (b)," and substituting "253 (1) (a) or (b),", and

(b) by striking out "or" at the end of paragraph (c) and by adding the following paragraphs:

(e) an offence committed under section 249.2, 249.3, 249.4 or 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code, or

(f) an offence committed under a prescribed provision of the Criminal Code .

3 The following section is added:

Retention or seizure of records

25.01  (1) An employee of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, a government agent or a person authorized in writing by the corporation under section 25 (1) (c) may, for the purposes of this Act, retain or seize a record

(a) presented to him or her as part of an application for a driver's licence or an identification card, or

(b) presented to him or her for the purpose of maintaining a record relating to a driver's licence or an identification card.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), if a record is retained or seized in accordance with subsection (1), the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia may, in addition,

(a) return the record to the person or government that issued or created it,

(b) return the record to the person who presented it, or

(c) destroy the record.

(3) The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia must return a record to the person who presented it within 30 days unless

(a) this Act requires that the record be surrendered, or

(b) the corporation determines that retention or seizure of the record for a longer period is necessary for the purposes of this Act.

4 Section 26.1 is amended

(a) by repealing subsection (1) and substituting the following:

(1) Subject to subsection (2) but despite any other provision of this Act or the regulations, if a person

(a) is indebted to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia for a motor vehicle indebtedness or to the government for a fine indebtedness, or

(b) in respect of an application by the person for a driver's licence, or for the purpose of maintaining a record relating to the person's driver's licence,

(i) makes a false or misleading statement,

(ii) fails to disclose information that is required to be disclosed,

(iii) presents a fraudulent or fraudulently altered record, or

(iv) fraudulently uses a record,

the corporation may, with or without holding a hearing or refunding the fees for the licence, cancel the driver's licence of the person. , and

(b) in subsection (2) by striking out "subsection (1)" and substituting "subsection (1) in respect of paragraph (a) of that subsection".

5 Section 31 is amended

(a) by adding the following subsections:

(1.1) A person who holds a driver's licence that indicates the driver is a Canadian citizen and who reports a change of address under subsection (1) must

(a) surrender his or her existing licence to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and apply and pay the prescribed fee for a duplicate licence,

(b) comply with the requirements of section 25 (1.2) (a) and (3) (d), and

(c) continue to meet requirements set under section 25 (1.2) (d).

(1.2) If a person complies with subsection (1.1), the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia must issue a duplicate licence to the person.

(3.1) A person who holds a driver's licence that indicates the driver is a Canadian citizen and who reports a change of name under subsection (2) must, in addition to the requirements of subsection (3),

(a) comply with the requirements of section 25 (1.2) (a), and

(b) continue to meet requirements set under section 25 (1.2) (d). , and

(b) in subsection (4) by striking out "subsection (3)" and substituting "subsection (3) or (3.1)".

6 Section 33 is amended by adding the following subsection:

(2.1) If a driver's licence that indicates the driver is a Canadian citizen and that is issued to a person under this Act is lost, mutilated or destroyed, he or she may obtain a duplicate licence if, in addition to the requirements of subsection (2), he or she

(a) complies with the requirements of section 25 (1.2) (a), and

(b) continues to meet requirements set under section 25 (1.2) (d).

7 Section 69 is amended

(a) by renumbering the section as section 69 (1),

(b) by repealing subsection (1) (a) (ii),

(c) in subsection (1) (c) by striking out "a driver's licence or", and

(d) by adding the following subsections:

(2) A person commits an offence if the person, in

(a) applying for a driver's licence or an identification card,

(b) assisting another person in applying for a driver's licence or an identification card,

(c) presenting records or providing information for the purpose of maintaining a record relating to a driver's licence or an identification card, or

(d) assisting another person in presenting records or providing information for the purpose of maintaining a record relating to a driver's licence or an identification card,

does any of the following:

(e) makes a false or misleading statement;

(f) fails to disclose information that is required to be disclosed;

(g) presents a fraudulent or fraudulently altered record;

(h) fraudulently uses a record.

(3) A person commits an offence if the person

(a) allows another person to use or possess a driver's licence or an identification card issued to the person under this Act or under an Act of a province of Canada,

(b) represents that a driver's licence or an identification card is a driver's licence or an identification card issued under this Act when the driver's licence or identification card is not issued under this Act, or

(c) produces or uses a facsimile of a driver's licence or an identification card without authority from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

(4) A person who contravenes subsection (2) or (3) is liable to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $20 000 or to imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or to both.

8 Section 70 is amended

(a) by repealing subsection (1) (a) and substituting the following:

(a) uses or is in possession of

(i) a permit, certificate, motor vehicle liability insurance card, financial responsibility card or consent issued or given under this Act and belonging to another person, or

(ii) a fictitious or invalid permit, certificate, motor vehicle liability insurance card, financial responsibility card or consent purporting to be issued or given under this Act; , and

(b) by adding the following subsections:

(1.1) A person commits an offence if the person uses or is in possession of

(a) an identification card belonging to another person, or a fictitious or invalid identification card purporting to be issued or given under this Act, or

(b) a driver's licence belonging to another person, or a fictitious or invalid driver's licence purporting to be issued or given under this Act, whether while driving, operating or in charge of a motor vehicle on a highway or not.

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1.1) is liable to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $20 000 or to imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or to both.

9 Section 74 is amended

(a) in subsection (1) (c) by adding "or an identification card" after "a driver's licence", and

(b) by adding the following subsection:

(4) A person who contravenes subsection (1) (c) or (d) is liable to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $20 000 or to imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or to both.

Transitional Provisions

Transition — Insurance (Vehicle) Act — corporation's
collection remedies

10  On and after the date this section comes into force, paragraph (f) of the definition of "vehicle indebtedness" in section 93.1 (1) of the Insurance (Vehicle) Act must be read as including indebtedness to the government because of a failure to pay a fine, or a victim's surcharge levy within the meaning of the Victims of Crime Act,

(a) imposed on or after December 14, 2006 as a result of a conviction under section 249.2, 249.3 or 249.4 of the Criminal Code, or

(b) imposed on or after July 2, 2008 as a result of a conviction under section 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code.

Transition — Motor Vehicle Act — refusal to issue
licence, permit, etc.

11  (1) The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia may, without a hearing, refuse to issue a driver's licence to a person who is indebted to the government because of his or her failure to pay a fine, or a victim's surcharge levy within the meaning of the Victims of Crime Act,

(a) imposed on or after December 14, 2006 as a result of a conviction under section 249.2, 249.3 or 249.4 of the Criminal Code, or

(b) imposed on or after July 2, 2008 as a result of a conviction under section 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code.

(2) The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia may refuse to issue

(a) any permit to a person, and

(b) a licence and corresponding number plates for a motor vehicle or trailer or both owned by a person

who is indebted to the government because of his or her failure to pay a fine, or a victim's surcharge levy within the meaning of the Victims of Crime Act,

(c) imposed on or after December 14, 2006 as a result of a conviction under section 249.2, 249.3 or 249.4 of the Criminal Code, or

(d) imposed on or after July 2, 2008 as a result of a conviction under section 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code.

Transition — Motor Vehicle Act — automatic prohibition
against driving on conviction

12  (1) For the purpose of this section, "convicted" includes being granted an absolute or conditional discharge.

(2) On the date this section comes into force, a person who has been convicted within the preceding 12 months of an offence under section 249.2, 249.3, 249.4 or 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code is automatically and without notice prohibited from driving a motor vehicle for the number of days that would have remained of a prohibition had the person been prohibited from driving for 12 months from

(a) the date of sentencing,

(b) the date that the passing of sentence is suspended,

(c) the date of being granted an absolute or conditional discharge, or

(d) the date a court imposes a sentence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Canada) or the Youth Justice Act.

Transition — Motor Vehicle Act — reporting conviction
or discharge

13  (1) The Assistant Deputy Minister of the Court Services Branch of the Ministry of Attorney General may send to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia a certificate, transcript, copy or record of a conviction or discharge made in relation to an offence committed under

(a) section 249.2, 249.3 or 249.4 of the Criminal Code on or after December 14, 2006, or

(b) section 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code on or after July 2, 2008.

(2) Section 104 (3) of the Motor Vehicle Act applies to a certificate, transcript, copy or record referred to in this section.

Transition — Motor Vehicle Act — suspension on
conviction for certain offences

14  (1) In this section:

"convicted" has the same meaning as in section 232 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act;

"date of sentencing" has the same meaning as in section 232 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act.

(2) On and after the date this section comes into force, the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 232 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act must be read for the purposes of section 232 (3) of that Act as including a conviction for an offence under

(a) section 249.2, 249.3 or 249.4 of the Criminal Code on or after December 14, 2006, or

(b) section 255 (2.1), (2.2), (3.1) or (3.2) of the Criminal Code on or after July 2, 2008.

(3) If a person is convicted of an offence under

(a) a section of the Criminal Code referred to in subsection (2) (a) of this section on or after December 14, 2006 but before the coming into force of paragraph (e) of the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of the Motor Vehicle Act, as enacted by this Act, or

(b) a section of the Criminal Code referred to in subsection (2) (b) of this section on or after July 2, 2008 but before the coming into force of paragraph (e) of the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of the Motor Vehicle Act, as enacted by this Act,

his or her driver's licence and his or her right to apply for or obtain a driver's licence are deemed to be suspended for the period referred to in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) A suspension under subsection (3) is effective from the date this section comes into force and is, subject to section 233 of the Motor Vehicle Act, effective for the following period:

(a) if there has been no conviction within the meaning of section 232 (2) of that Act as it read immediately before the coming into force of paragraph (e) of the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of that Act, as enacted by this Act, for the number of days that would have remained of a suspension had the person been suspended for one year from the date of sentencing;

(b) if there has been a first conviction within the meaning of section 232 (3) (a) of that Act as it read immediately before the coming into force of paragraph (e) of the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of that Act, as enacted by this Act, or a conviction for an offence under a section of the Criminal Code referred to in and within the meaning of subsection (2) (a) or (b) of this section, for the number of days that would have remained of a suspension had the person been suspended for 3 years from the date of sentencing;

(c) indefinitely, if there has been

(i) a first subsequent conviction within the meaning of section 232 (3) (b) of that Act as it read immediately before the coming into force of paragraph (e) of the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of that Act, as enacted by this Act,

(ii) 2 or more convictions for an offence under a section of the Criminal Code referred to in and within the meaning of subsection (2) (a) or (b) of this section, whether or not the convictions are under the same provision of the Criminal Code, or

(iii) a first conviction within the meaning of section 232 (3) (a) of the Motor Vehicle Act as it read immediately before the coming into force of paragraph (e) of the definition of "motor vehicle related Criminal Code offence" in section 1 of that Act, as enacted by this Act, and one or more convictions for an offence under a section of the Criminal Code referred to in and within the meaning of subsection (2) (a) or (b) of this section, whether or not the convictions are under the same provision of the Criminal Code.

Commencement

15  The provisions of this Act referred to in column 1 of the following table come into force as set out in column 2 of the table: