Commissioner's directive 880: Food services

Contents

• Responsibilities
• Procedures
  • Cost of Food
  • Nutritional Requirements of the Inmate Population
  • Nutrition Counselling
  • Special Diets
  • Food Safety
  • Inmate Employment and Training
• Annex A - Cross-References and Definitions

Responsibilities

1. The Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services, will develop Guidelines for the delivery of food services that must be followed.
2. The Director General, Technical Services and Facilities, will:
   1. authorize the development and delivery of standardized inmate training in food services
   2. establish the monetary rates for each type of feeding system
   3. develop performance measurement tools for determining the efficacy of food services delivery.
3. The Senior Manager, Food Services, will:
   1. establish procedures to monitor the delivery of food services to inmates
   2. monitor food services activities to ensure adherence to standards.
4. The Regional Food Services Managers will:
   1. directly coordinate and manage all food services activities related to cook-chill
   2. ensure compliance with national policies
   3. plan and develop inmate training programs
   4. prepare reports using performance measurement tools
   5. coordinate all other food services activities within the region.
5. The Food Services Managers in Regional Food Production Centres will:
   1. manage a cook-chill production centre
   2. direct an inmate training program
   3. ensure all food services activities comply with national policies and all performance measurement tools developed by National Headquarters Food Services are implemented.
6. The Food Services Managers will:
   1. manage the food services operation at the institution
   2. ensure compliance with the inmate training program
   3. ensure all food services activities comply with national policies and all performance measurement tools developed by National Headquarters Food Services are implemented.

Procedures

Cost of Food

7. The cost of the meals provided will be within monetary allowances established by National Headquarters on an annual basis.

Nutritional Requirements of the Inmate Population

8. Meals are a critical factor in creating a healthy penitentiary environment and healthier inmates.
9. Changes in food quality/quantity or withdrawal of food will not be used as a form of punishment.
10. The meals provided to the inmate population will meet the minimum nutritional standards for Canadians as outlined in Canada’s Food Guides.

Nutrition Counselling

11. Nutrition counselling will be provided to inmates, as required, to meet their therapeutic regimes in response to a clear and well-defined diagnosis.

Special Diets

12. With regard to special diets, the following table outlines the approval authority required:

* In response to a clear and defined diagnosis pursuant to GL 880-2 – Nutrition Management Program.

** In the case of food allergies, approval will be made following bona fide allergy testing or medical assessment pursuant to Annex E of GL 880-2 – Nutrition Management Program.

Food Safety

13. All activities required for ordering, storage, preparation and service of food and disposal of waste will meet the food safety standards as outlined in the Food Safety Code of Practice for Canada’s Foodservice Industry.

Inmate Employment and Training

14. Meaningful employment and training opportunities in the food services area will be provided to inmates wherever feasible and appropriate.

Commissioner,

Original signed by:

Anne Kelly

Annex A - Cross-References and Definitions

Cross-References

• GL 750-1 – Inmate Religious Accommodations
• GL 880-1 – Food Services Program
• GL 880-2 – Nutrition Management Program
• GL 880-3 – Religious Diets
• GL 880-4 – Diets of Conscience
• Canada’s Food Guide
• Canada’s Food Guide – First Nations, Inuit and Métis
• Food Safety Code of Practice for Canada’s Foodservice Industry
• Official Languages Act

Contractor: a person providing services of a prescribed class to the Correctional Service of Canada under a contract.

Cook-chill: food preservation method in which food is prepared, cooked, and then chilled to 1°C in a central kitchen.