Commissioner's update for correctional employees: November 24, 2025

Heads of Corrections Committee meeting

I was pleased to meet with senior corrections officials from across Canada at National Headquarters (NHQ) during the annual Fall Heads of Corrections Committee meeting from November 18 to 20, 2025.

Members also toured correctional facilities in the Kingston area, including Joyceville Institution and Kingston Penitentiary in addition to the National Training Academy and the newly dedicated Correctional Service of Canada Memorial.

A sincere thank you to all presenters for sharing their time and expertise, making the meeting both informative and impactful. I also want to extend my appreciation to the staff at NHQ and in the Ontario and Nunavut Region for their hard work in planning and organizing this successful three-day event. 

Interfaith Committee meeting

On November 18, I was pleased to meet with the Interfaith Committee. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss their 2024 to 2025 Annual Report on Chaplaincy and how our partnership continues to evolve to meet the emerging needs of inmates. It was also an occasion to express appreciation for their ongoing collaboration and leadership in advancing spiritual and religious care within CSC.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence runs from November 25 to December 10. This campaign began in 1991 to call out and speak up against gender-based violence, and to renew our commitment to ending violence against women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities. 

The 16 Days starts with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25. I invite you to wear purple to show solidarity and honor the victims and survivors. 

Correctional Training Program graduation 

Many new Correctional Officers in the Quebec region have recently graduated from the Correctional Training Program. Congratulations to all our new Officers! I wanted to share this short video of QUE01 to celebrate their huge accomplishment.

Completing such a comprehensive training program is a major achievement, equipping you with the essential skills and knowledge for your new roles. 

• Correctional Training Program Graduation - QUE01

We look forward to working with you in service of Canadians. 

Update - Federal Budget Implementation

I wanted to give you an update following the adoption of Budget 2025 by Parliament last week. 

On November 18, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-15, Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1, an important first piece of legislation to advance key Budget 2025 priorities. It includes many measures, including helping to renew the public service workforce by offering an Early Retirement Incentive Program through the Public Service Pension Plan. This incentive would help manage workforce reductions to the greatest extent possible through attrition and voluntary departures. 

Eligible employees would be able to apply to retire with an immediate pension based on years of service with no reduction for early retirement. The annual pension amount would be calculated using the total years of pensionable service up to the early retirement date. Eligible employees would need to apply to participate in the program under parameters that would be set by the Treasury Board. These parameters would be designed to maintain essential services and business continuity.  

Implementation would proceed when legislation receives Royal Assent. More information is available here: 

• Proposed Early Retirement Incentive.

I will share more once it is available to us.

Comprehensive Expenditure Review  

In terms of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER), we continue to liaise with central agencies to receive details relevant to CSC that were communicated in Budget 2025. I expect to be in a position to share more information soon.

However, as a proactive measure in response to the CER, further staffing control measures are being implemented. Last week, EXCOM received guidance on the implementation of a staffing freeze effective today, November 24, 2025, related to indeterminate staffing. This measure is critical to ensuring CSC’s sustainability and effectiveness. It also helps us get a better overall picture of our workforce and positions available, while supporting our operational continuity. 

All indeterminate staffing requests submitted through HR Action before November 24, 2025, will be processed. Other indeterminate staffing actions, not yet submitted to HR, will be suspended. Temporary staffing actions can continue, based on budget availability. The staffing freeze will be reassessed on a regular basis.

You may have noticed that some other departments are currently implementing workforce adjustment measures. I want to clarify that these actions are not related to the CER exercise but stem from earlier phases of the Refocusing Government Spending initiative. Given recent questions from staff, I want to reassure you that CSC remains on track with the CER process and is moving forward in alignment with other large and complex departments.

We understand such measures during this period of fiscal restraint can be stressful. If you need support, please speak with your manager, the Ombuds for Workplace Well-being, or the Employee Assistance Program. If you see a colleague who may be struggling, please be kind and understanding and direct them to the appropriate resources or supports.

Thank you for the work and efforts you put in everyday to make our institutions safe.