Every year, about 37 people die, and over 360 are injured as a result of impaired driving in Saskatchewan.  

To discourage this behavior, reduce repeat offences, and save lives, the Province has proposed new legislation that would allow police officers use administrative penalties as opposed to pursuing a Criminal Code offence, which often only produces consequences after a lengthy litigation process.  

Instead, Justice Minister Tim McLeod says in order to deter offenders, consequences must be timely, meaningful, and effective.  

“These options include immediate financial penalties, license consequences, vehicle impoundment, ignition interlock requirements, impaired driver education, and safe driver recognition penalties.” 

New administrative penalties include a first offence of “a $1000 fine, a 30-suspension of your license, and a 30-day impound of your vehicle. Subsequent offences would be a $2000 fine with additional sanctions for your impound and license suspension.” 

There are certain cases where administrative penalties will not apply, such as if a child is in the car, or if a collision, fatality, or injury occur. Those cases would be processed through the court system as per usual.  

He says not only will these measures keep impaired drivers off the roads, but they will also keep members of law enforcement on them, instead of in court pursuing Criminal Code offences. 

McLeod adds that these measures would only apply to alcohol impairment, and drug impairment would proceed under the Criminal Code. However, the province “is certainly open to looking at that and expanding that opportunity further in the future.” 

He says if all goes well, the proposed legislation will be in place by this fall. 

Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia already have similar legislation in place, and SGI’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy Jennifer Leflar says it’s been associated with fewer impaired driving related collisions, injuries, and deaths.