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A judge will decide on Thursday whether to accept a joint submission for what he suggested was a low $42,000 fine for a landlord who has pleaded guilty to 48 charges under the Public Health Act for numerous infractions at her four northwest Calgary rental properties.

Provincial court Judge Gerald Meagher on Wednesday questioned whether the fine he must mete out to Eva Kwan Yuen, as presented by Crown prosecutor Stephen Torscher and defence lawyer John Kong, was significant enough to deter her and other such landlords from committing similar health and safety infractions.

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“The fine must be more than the cost of doing business,” Meagher told court. “There were numerous offences that led to the charges … there is financial advantage gained by not doing anything.

“My concern is whether the sentence proposed is even at the low end of the spectrum. If it includes the (15 per cent) victim fine surcharge, that enhances my concern.”

Kwan, who has faced a six-day trial starting last Monday, admitted to nearly 200 infractions uncovered by health and safety inspectors dating from 2010 to now at the properties: 7703 41st Ave., 905 1st St., 2220 Bowness Road, and 4231 4th St.

Torscher told the judge the prosecution of what was originally 83 charges “has had some effect of the state of the property.”