Hydro, utility, electricians, gas, HVAC, power line, cable workers, operations manager DUI charges in Canada

A hydro power line, HVAC, gas or electric, or cable worker technician has a dangerous and stressful job. They can be on call all hours of the night, have to climb poles, risk falling down, being electrocuted, etc. Sometimes these stresses and the late hours required will lead to charges of impaired driving. Perhaps they had a few drinks and then they are called out to work. Not wanting their boss to think they were drinking while on call, and thinking that they were okay to drive, they take the risk and drive to attend the worksite.

There are many variations of this but often the charges result from work related pressure which may be related to general job stress, being unexpectedly called in for work at the moment, or both. From the perspective of the police and the Crown Attorney if they were driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, or fail or refuse to provide a breath test, it doesn’t matter what their explanation was for committing the offence.

From a legal perspective, just because someone is charged with a DUI related offence does not make them legally guilty in court. DUI charges are highly technical and there are often many defences that the accused is not aware of that may lead to their exoneration in court or having the charges dropped/withdrawn by the Crown Attorney.

Since jobs in hydro, HVAC, gas, electricians, line workers, etc. are extremely dangerous, employers require a high degree of low risk factors for their employees.

If someone is charged and convicted of a DUI related offence the company they work for may decide that they are too much of a liability to continue to employ them. If an employee drives drunk and is caught doing so by the police depending on the outcome of their court case their employer may consider this grounds for firing. In addition, anyone convicted of an impaired driving offence under the Criminal Code of Canada will receive at a minimum a criminal record that will show up on all current and future employment background checks.

This means an impaired driving criminal record may not only result in them losing their job but also prevent them from obtaining employment in the future.

Why are employers so quick to fire and refuse employment to those convicted of DUI offences?

The serious nature of the job is the main reason. If a hydro, gas, electric, etc. worker makes a mistake they not only put their own life in danger but also those of their colleagues, clients, and random third parties. From the perspective of the employer (often a large company) they do not want to accept the liability of having someone convicted of impaired driving (dui, over 80, failure/refusal to provide a breath sample) working for them if a mistake is made. For this reason they tend to be quite strict in their hiring and job retention/background check practices.

If you are working in one of these fields, or are a student in college or apprentice hoping to work full time in them someday, and you get charged with a DUI related offence you should contact a criminal lawyer immediately. We understand there are sometimes pressures through your work environment to have a few beers or drink otherwise and that it can lead to being arrested and charged.

Sometimes impaired driving charges can be won in court based on evidentiary, Charter, or other grounds when the accused assumes otherwise.

Meaning: the accused who gets charged with a DUI may foolishly plead guilty to impaired, over 80, failure/refusal, etc. without speaking to a lawyer first who can review their case for free and give them a realistic assessment of their potential options. The results of their criminal case are generally permanent and they will have to live with the decisions.

This can range from losing their current job, to being deemed unemployable in the future, being refused entry while trying to travel to other countries such as the United States, and having serious IRCC immigration problems possibly leading to deportation if they are not a Canadian Citizen.

Everyone charged with an impaired driving offence will receive a criminal record at a minimum if convicted.

In any Criminal Code DUI case, if the accused is found guilty they will receive a mandatory criminal record (conviction) and a possible jail sentence. For those who are not first time offenders they will be looking at mandatory minimum jail sentences. Everyone is in a different situation in terms of job, background status, immigration, future travel plans, etc., but a DUI is always an extremely serious criminal offence in Canada.

If you get charged with a DUI related offence you need to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible because the clock starts ticking immediately in terms of your defence options in Ontario, Canada.


Call us today.
You don't have to jeopardize your future or waste thousands of dollars on excessive legal fees. We provide effective and affordable lawyer representation for those charged with impaired driving offences throughout Ontario.

Have a skilled criminal lawyer who focuses on impaired driving related charges protect you and your future from the stigma and consequences of a criminal record.





Are you a lawyer? If you are defending an impaired driving related case and are looking for expert advice regarding possible defences, case strategies, and information release management call us at: 647-228-5969.

Please note: We do not accept legal aid certificate cases. All clients are handled on a private retainer only.

---