Current Trends in Double-Bunking in Canadian Federal Corrections
Highlight: The increase in the federal prison population has corresponded with a higher proportion of double-bunking.
Number: RIB-25-21
Date: 2026-09-04
Alternative Format:
Why we did this study
A previous analysis by Motiuk (2023) demonstrated a decline in the rate of double-bunking in Canadian federal corrections during the pandemic, proceeded by a return to pre-pandemic levels. The analysis projected a continued increase in the rate of double-bunking in the near future. The current analysis provides an update on trends in double-bunking in the most recent fiscal years.
What we did
Data pertaining to double-bunking within all Correctional Service of Canada institutions (CSC) for men and women was drawn from the Corporate Reporting System-Modernized (CRS-M). While there are different operational definitions of double-bunking, the measure herein relates to all individuals residing within an accommodation designed for one individual that has been retrofitted to house two individuals. Footnote 1
What we found
As predicted in the earlier study, the rate of double-bunking continued to increase following the temporary decline during the pandemic. The increase became more pronounced between fiscal year (FY) 2023 to 2024 (7.9%) and FY 2024 to 2025 (12.4%). This period was also marked by a 5.2% increase in Warrant of Committal (new sentence) admissions, and a 7.1% increase in the in-custody population. In addition, the number of community releases decreased relative to pre-pandemic levels (see Table 1 for an overview of federal prison population trends). This may be tied to changing sentence characteristics, such as, a relative increase in individuals serving longer sentences (see Motiuk & Arnet-Zargarian, 2021).
Consistent with the previous study, double-bunking in the two most recent fiscal years was disproportionate in reception centres, which house individuals temporarily during the intake and assessment process. Footnote 2Outside of reception centres, double-bunking was primarily concentrated in medium security facilities (there is no double bunking in maximum security institutions, and there was minimal double bunking in minimum security institutions).Footnote 3 Double-bunking trends were also marked by regional variation, with highest prevalence in the Ontario and Quebec regions (see Table 2).
Table 1. Federal Prison Population Trends, Fiscal Years 2018 to 2019 to 2024 to 2025
| Fiscal Year | Fiscal year Warrant of Committal Admissions (Total Admissions) | Fiscal year Community Releases | Beds assigned at Fiscal Year End (Total Count) | Total Percentage Double-Bunked at Fiscal Year End |
| 2018-2019 | 5,004 (7,331) | 7,269 | 13,767 (14,149) | 6.6% (902) |
| 2019-2020 | 4,644 (7,007) | 7,250 | 13,375 (13,720) | 7.4% (984) |
| 2020-2021 | 3,228 (5,304) | 6,723 | 12,015 (12,399) | 4.7% (565) |
| 2021-2022 | 3,999 (6,315) | 6,610 | 12,030 (12,328) | 5.1% (610) |
| 2022-2023 | 4,715 (6,985) | 6,426 | 12,653 (13,054) | 6.5% (819) |
| 2023-2024 | 4,890 (7,194) | 6,625 | 13,454 (13,855) | 7.9% (1,061) |
| 2024-2025 | 5,144 (7,497) | 6,816 | 14,430 (14,837) | 12.4% (1,784) |
Table 2. Bed Assignments and Double-bunking by Region, for Fiscal Years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025
| Regions | Total beds assigned (FY end 2023 to 2024) |
Double bunked % (FY end 2023 to 2024) |
Total beds assigned (FY end 2024 to 2025) |
Double-bunked (FY end 2024 to 2025) |
| Atlantic | 1,280 | 0.2% | 1,300 | 0.2% |
| Quebec | 2,881 | 9.0% | 3,119 | 18.1% |
| Ontario | 3,778 | 11.9% | 4,073 | 18.5% |
| Prairie | 3,820 | 9.1% | 4,096 | 11.3% |
| Pacific | 1,695 | 0.1% | 1,842 | 0.0% |
| Total | 13,454 | 7.9% | 14,430 | 12.4% |
What it means
Single occupancy accommodation continues to be the mainstream approach in federal corrections; however, as projected in an earlier study, double-bunking has increased alongside the growth in the federal prison population. Double-bunking is primarily concentrated in reception centres followed by medium security institutions, with pressures greatest in the Ontario and Quebec regions.
For more information
Please email the Research Branch. You can also visit the Research Publications section for a full list of reports and one-page summaries.
Prepared by: Laura McKendy
References
Motiuk, L. (2023). Double-bunking in Canadian Federal Corrections, RIB-23-24. Ottawa, ON: Correctional Service Canada.
Motiuk, L. & Arnet-Zargarian, A. (2021). Changing population of men in federal custody: 2015 to 2020, RIB-21-12. Ottawa, ON: Correctional Service Canada.