Interim Policy Bulletin 735
To facilitate reading in French, the masculine form is used without prejudice to gender, given the binary nature of the French language.
Policy number and title
Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 577: Staff Protocol in Women Offender Institutions
Why the policy was changed
Following an external review of the Primary Worker (PW) ratio, the Correctional Service of Canada’s (CSC’s) Executive Committee (EXCOM) has approved the ratio at all women offender institutions to be 70‑80 percent women PWs.
Interim Policy Bulletin
Number: 735
In Effect: 2026-03-20
What changed
All women’s institutions, including Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge, must now strive for a ratio of 70‑80 percent women PWs. Institutions will achieve this ratio through attrition and hiring, as needed. Where a site’s PW ratio is below 70 percent women, and operational requirements permit, the employer will give hiring priority to women candidates who meet the merit criteria, by invoking organizational need.
If the ratio is above 80 percent women, the employer will select qualified candidates for appointment through standard staffing practices, that is, without applying gender-based preferential hiring.
The employer will monitor the implementation and review of gender ratios as part of the ongoing PW staff planning process, the Correctional Officer deployment process and the Correctional Training Program seat allocation exercise. Moreover, a dashboard will provide the ratio for each site at any time.
The Regional Deputy Commissioners and the Institutional Heads are jointly responsible for complying with this policy direction, with support from the Women Offender Sector. The Human Resource Management Sector is responsible for ensuring effective recruitment, staffing practices, and workforce planning aligned with the required PW gender ratios.
How was it developed
The Women Offender Sector developed this Interim Policy Bulletin, pending a comprehensive review of Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 577, in collaboration with the Strategic Policy Division and in consultation with the Human Resource Management Sector.
The policy changes follow CSC’s approval of an Office of the Auditor General (OAG) recommendation (refer to OAG 2022 report Systemic Barriers) to formalize gender representation objectives at women’s institutions. Consultations with the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, the Office of the Correctional Investigator and labour partners occurred regarding the gender ratio of 70-80 percent women.
Who is affected by the policy
These changes affect all inmates and staff at women’s institutions, as well as sub-delegated managers responsible for hiring.
Contact:
Strategic Policy Division
NHQ.Policy-Politiques.AC@csc-scc.gc.ca
Commissioner,
Original Signed By:
Anne Kelly