Vaccination at federal correctional institutions

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) continues to roll out its COVID-19 vaccination plans in accordance with National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) guidelines and has begun offering booster vaccines to offenders in institutions and community correctional centres (CCCs).

• National Advisory Committee on Immunization

Under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, CSC has a legal obligation to provide essential health care to federally incarcerated inmates, including vaccine administration.

In January 2021, during phase one of the vaccine rollout, CSC vaccinated approximately 600 older, medically vulnerable inmates.

Beginning in mid-April, CSC began offering the COVID-19 vaccine to the remaining federal offender population and staff in 43 correctional institutions and 14 community correctional centres (CCCs) across Canada.

In November 2021, CSC began offering third doses to older, medically vulnerable inmates and shortly after that, booster vaccines to all offenders in institutions and CCCs who had their second dose over six months ago.

Offenders must consent to receiving the vaccine. CSC continues to raise awareness about vaccine safety and the importance of being vaccinated. Our health care staff continue to engage with inmates to provide education materials and answer their questions or concerns so they can make an informed decision.

The health and safety of our inmates, employees, and the public have been our top priority during this pandemic. The vaccine is the best defence to protect both offenders and staff against COVID-19 and, when paired with existing measures, will help to bolster our overall public health and safety. CSC will continue to work closely with the provinces and territories on its vaccinations plans and rollout.  

Health and safety measures, such as:

• masks
• physical distancing
• active screening, and
• other personal protective equipment
• frequent hand hygiene

continue to apply once vaccines are administered. This ensures that layers of protection continue to be in place in our correctional institutions.

Additional facts

• CSC has 14 community correctional centres:
  • Atlantic Region:
    • Parrtown
    • Jamieson, and
    • St. John’s
  • Quebec Region:
    • Ogilvy
    • Sherbrooke
    • Hochelaga
    • Martineau
    • Marcel-Caron, and
    • Laferrière
  • Ontario Region:
    • Keele
    • Henry Traill
  • Prairie Region:
    • Osborne, and
    • Oskana
  • Pacific Region: Chilliwack
• CSC provides its (own) essential health care to inmates and has dedicated health care professionals in its institutions, including nurses and physicians, who closely monitor the health of inmates. CSC relies on local hospitals where care exceeds CSC’s capacity
• Since the beginning of the pandemic, CSC has implemented rigorous infection prevention and control measures at its sites, such as:
  • increasing sanitation and enforcing wearing masks
  • frequent hand washing/sanitizing
  • active screening, and
  • physical distancing
• CSC’s COVID-19 approach continues to benefit from the expertise and advice of our public health partners, and is based on science and evidence
• CSC established an integrated risk management process where, on an ongoing basis, decisions about its operations are made in close collaboration with:
  • public health authorities
  • unions
  • Elders, and
  • stakeholders to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Useful links

• Correctional Service Canada COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out: A January 7, 2021, news release about the vaccine roll-out at CSC
• COVID-19 vaccines in federal corrections: Frequently asked questions: General: Answers specific questions about COVID-19 vaccines.
• Preliminary guidance on key populations for early COVID-19 immunization: Recommendations, vaccines, methods and considerations on key populations for early COVID-19 immunization
• Planning guidance for administration of COVID-19 vaccine: The COVID-19 planning guidance maps out how Canada will provide Canadians with safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines
• Inmate COVID-19 testing in CSC institutions: CSC provides daily updates Monday through Friday on inmate COVID-19 tests and positive and active cases