Ministerial transition material, October 2021

On this page

1. Overview of CSC

1.1 Strategic Overview

Mission, Mandate and Values

Legal Framework and External Oversight

Partners and Volunteers

1.2 Key Facts and Figures

The Offender Population

Operational Environment – Institutions and Community

Financial Snapshot 

CSC Workforce

CSC Results

1.3 Commissioner’s Biography

2. Issue Notes

2.1 Response to COVID-19

Overview

Shaping the New Normal 

Vaccination

2.2 Structured Intervention Units

Implementation

Opportunities and Challenges

Consultation

Oversight – Structured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel

Oversight – Independent External Decision Makers

2.3 Health Services

Essential Health Services

Prison Needle Exchange Program

Overdose Prevention Service

Medical Assistance in Dying

2.4 Supporting Commitments – Oversight Bodies

Access to Information / Privacy Commissioner and Information Commissioner

Office of the Auditor General

Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI)

Official Languages

Parliamentary Committees

2.5 Ongoing Initiatives

Organization Culture Audit – Respect Campaign

Overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous Offenders

Anti-Racism Framework and Action Plan

Sexual Coercion and Violence

Gender Diverse Offenders

CORCAN

Infrastructure

Contraband Prevention – Body Scanners and Drones

Digital Initiatives

3. Key Contacts

1.   Overview of CSC

1.1 Strategic Overview

Mission, Mandate and Values

Our Mission

• The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to public safety by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.

Our Mandate

• CSC is the federal government organization responsible for administering sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the courts. CSC is responsible for managing federal correctional institutions of various security levels and for supervising offenders under conditional release in the community.
• CSC manages a complex and evolving federal correctional environment. Almost all federal offenders will eventually return to the community. Therefore, it is imperative that they are provided a safe and humane environment with access to programs and services so they can return to the community as law-abiding and contributing members of society. This creates greater public safety for all Canadians.  

Legal Framework and External Oversight

• The Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) provides CSC with its legislative framework:
  • CCRA, Part I – Institutional and Community Corrections;
  • CCRA, Part II – Parole Board of Canada (PBC); and
  • CCRA, Part III – Office of the Correctional Investigator.
• This legal framework is operationalized through the Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR), Commissioner’s Directives and Institutional Standing Orders.
• In addition to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, approximately 70 other Acts and Regulations impact CSC (e.g., Criminal Code, Access to Information Act, Privacy Act, Official Languages Act, International Transfer of Offenders Act, etc.). For instance, CSC provides services to victims as per the CCRA in order to uphold rights as expressed in the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.

CSC’s relationship with the Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI):

• The OCI provides independent oversight of CSC. They do this by impartially investigating individual and systemic concerns. The intent is to resolve all complaints received by offenders. The OCI also makes recommendations to CSC on policy and procedures.
• The OCI’s Annual Report is tabled in the House of Commons. The report always contains recommendations to which CSC is required to provide specific and detailed responses. The commitments from CSC’s responses have an internal monitoring and progress reporting framework. The OCI is regularly updated on CSC’s progress in the implementation of its commitments. 

Partners and Volunteers

• A key priority for CSC is fostering productive relationships with diverse stakeholders, organizations and partners. The organization benefits from partnerships to fulfill its responsibilities to protect Canadian communities and ensure the safe reintegration of offenders.
• CSC works with federal stakeholders, as well as other levels of government, including the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Heads of Corrections table. CSC also works with the National Associations in Criminal Justice, a coalition of 22 not-for-profit national organizations to strengthen offender rehabilitation and community reintegration.
• Thousands of volunteers support CSC programs and initiatives, both in institutions and in the community. Volunteers provide essential support to CSC and offenders by offering activities such as tutoring, visits, sports, and social and spiritual events.
• Citizens also volunteer on numerous advisory committees, including the:
  • Citizen Advisory Committees that support CSC’s legislated mandate to ensure a “public presence” in federal corrections;
  • Regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committees that provide advice that supports the reintegration of ethnocultural offenders; and
  • Regional Victim Advisory Committees that advise CSC and the PBC on victims’ issues.
• For Indigenous offenders, the National Indigenous Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations to CSC, as required under the CCRA.

1.2 Key Facts and Figures

The Offender Population

• At the end of fiscal year 2020-2021:
  • CSC was responsible for 21,512 offenders;
  • 12,399 were in custody;
  • 9,113 were supervised in the community.
• Of the offenders in the community:
  • offenders on day parole represented 16%;
  • offenders on full parole represented 49%;
  • offenders on statutory release represented 30%; and
  • offenders with long term supervision orders represented 5%. 

Operational Environment – Institutions and Community

• CSC manages:
  • 43 institutions (six maximum security, nine medium security, five minimum security, 12 multilevel security and 11 clustered institutions);
  • 14 community correctional centres (CCCs); and
  • 92 parole offices and sub-parole offices.
  • CSC is also responsible for managing four healing lodges (included in the 43 institutions) and works in partnership with Indigenous communities to support the reintegration of Indigenous offenders back into the community.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Budget

• As per the 2020-2021 Main Estimates, CSC’s annual budget is $2,553.8 million, composed of:
  • $2,365.9 million in Operating, including Employee Benefit Plans;
  • $187.8 million in Capital funding;
  • $0.1 million in Grants and Contributions.
• This represents a ($26.3 million) or - 1.0% decrease over the previous year. The decrease is mainly attributable to:
  • A decrease in the Operating Vote of ($12.3 million) mainly related to funding approved for Support for the Correctional Service of Canada (Budget 2019), offset by funding received for Transforming Federal Corrections (Bill C-83);
  • A decrease in the Statutory Vote of ($14.0 million) for the department’s allocation of the employer’s share of the employee benefit plan; 
  • A decrease in the Capital Vote of $0.01 million for CSC’s contribution to the Back Office Transformation initiative.

Cost Structure and Constraints

• Approximately 90% of CSC’s budget is non-discretionary, such as expenses related to:
  
  • Front-line workforce / Collective Agreements; and
  • Statutory obligations.
• Operational costs are largely fixed and related to both static and dynamic security.
• In the context of Program Integrity, through Budget 2020, CSC received a positive response to its funding request following the comprehensive review.
• CSC has an uncertain financial situation and will be in a better position to assess it once a decision is made on its funding request for COVID-19 incremental expenditures;
  • Supplementary funding for anticipated court settlements is approved.
• CSC had an Operating Carry Forward of $51.8 million, (2019-2020), 2.2% of its total available authorities (2019-2020).
• Changes to operations could produce savings, but would also have an impact on the results.

CSC Workforce

• CSC employs approximately 18,626 staff from a vast number of fields. As of August 31, 2021, CSC’s front-line staff workforce included:
  • 6,271 Correctional Officers;
  • 453 Primary Workers;
  • 1,220 Parole Officers;
  • 445 Correctional Program Officers;
  • 125 Indigenous Liaison Officers;
  • 107 Indigenous Correctional Program Officers;
  • 131 Social Program Officers;
  • 950 Nurses; and
  • 211 Psychology Staff.

CSC Results

At year-end 2020-2021, the following are results in a number of different areas:

• The number of admissions declined in 2020-2021 (5,205), as compared to the previous year (7,008). Particular to this reporting period, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the overall decline in the federal inmate population. As waves of COVID-19 infections spread throughout Canada, the courts primarily suspended or scaled back operations before resuming some services with restrictions.
• The reduction in court services meant that there were less criminal hearings and trials conducted during the fiscal year, resulting in fewer sentences imposed, and a higher number of accused persons awaiting trial. As well, offenders sentenced to federal length sentences remained in provincial custody longer than normal.
• CSC achieved positive results related to Indigenous offenders who were not re-admitted to federal custody on a new sentence within five years following their sentence expiry date. This is a trend in the right direction; results were 78.7% in the previous fiscal year, and 80.6% in 2020-2021.
• The percentage of successful transitions to lower security (successful if no reclassification to higher security within 120 days) fell just below the target range (94.7% - 96.2%), with a result of 92.7%.
• While group program delivery resumed in July 2020, changes to the management and delivery of correctional programs were made to ensure its compliance with the public health parameters for offender and staff safety. As a result, the offender completion of nationally recognized correctional programs saw its lowest point in the last five years (69.1% prior to first release, 78.3% prior to sentence expiry date).
• The percentage of education referrals actioned within 120 days of admission to federal custody fell below the performance target range. Nationally, the results decreased by approximately 12% compared to the previous fiscal year.
• The rate of drug-related incidents has decreased by 7% since the previous fiscal year. This result is encouraging when compared to last fiscal year and is likely due to a combination of factors, including the increase in drug seizures by 7% as well as the impact of public health restrictions in place during much of the pandemic (e.g. the cancellation of in-person visits, temporary absences, etc.) which most likely made the introduction of drugs in institutions more difficult.
• Since 2017-2018, the number of escapes from federal custody has been declining with 2020-2021 seeing the lowest number at 11, which represents a decrease of 42% since the high of 19 that fiscal year.
• The number non-natural deaths in custody (19), which includes those still under review or investigation, was within the same range as those in the last five years (the median is 19).

1.3 Commissioner's Biography

In September 2006, Ms. Kelly was appointed Regional Deputy Commissioner, Pacific Region, where she served for five years until her appointment as Senior Deputy Commissioner in 2011.

2.  Issue Notes

2.1 Response to COVID-19

Overview

Key Messages

• Since the beginning of the pandemic, CSC has implemented a comprehensive and coordinated response to limit the risk of COVID-19 by working collaboratively with public health agencies, including the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
• Since March 2020, CSC had 41 outbreaks, 1,584 positive inmate cases and six deaths in its institutions.
• CSC is transparent in its steadfast management of COVID-19 cases. As such, testing, positive cases and deaths are posted on the Service’s website and updates are provided to stakeholders.
• CSC has implemented a range of infection prevention and control measures throughout the pandemic, including masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizer, enhanced and frequent disinfecting and cleaning as well as the provision of the COVID-19 vaccine, to provide layers of protection in institutions.
• Inmates who test positive for COVID-19 are medically isolated and closely monitored by CSC’s Health Services.
• CSC conducts internal contact tracing for staff and inmates, and collaborates with public health authorities to help determine when isolation for health purposes and/or if additional testing is to be conducted, as needed.
• To maintain contact with their loved ones and support networks during the COVID-19 pandemic, CSC increased video visitation kiosks by 78% across the country. CSC also increased the bandwidth to support the use of video visits, and, at many sites, increased the hours during which video visits are available.
• Correctional programming remains an essential part of reintegration. Offenders continue to participate in on-site programming and activities that support their rehabilitation and progress.
• The pandemic had a direct impact on CORCAN due to clients’ needs changing, as well as institutional and community transmission mitigation measures implemented. CSC is closely monitoring the correctional results while working to ensure financial stability.
• CORCAN has contributed to the COVID-19 response by producing more than 849,000 masks and over 90,000 gowns for use by CSC and other departments.

Shaping the New Normal

Key Messages

• CSC developed a national Integrated Risk Management Framework, endorsed by the Public Health Agency of Canada, to guide our new normal.
• The framework identifies correctional activities, risks and mitigation strategies to protect staff and offenders, while respecting the law and delivering CSC’s legislated mandate.
• CSC continues to adjust restrictions and respond as required based on information and advice from public health authorities.
• Most employees whose work can be done remotely continue to work from home. Building and office occupancy is minimal and is mainly for employees whose work and/or ability to work requires them to be onsite.

Vaccination

Key Messages

• In January 2021, CSC began vaccinating federal offenders, starting with the oldest and most vulnerable. In April 2021, it offered vaccines to all remaining offenders in its institutions and Community Correctional Centres, as per National Advisory Committee on Immunization guidelines.
• To date, over 76% of inmates have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 82% have received one dose.
• The COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory for federal inmates. CSC staff continues to engage with inmates regarding the benefits of getting immunized and continues to make vaccines available to those who may have declined and newly admitted inmates.

2.2 Structured Intervention Units

Implementation

Key Messages

• In June 2019, Bill C-83 - An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act received Royal Assent. Bill C-83’s purpose was to, among other things, eliminate administrative segregation and create Structured Intervention Units (SIUs).
• SIUs are used for offenders who cannot be safely managed within a mainstream offender population.
• An offender can be transferred to an SIU if they are a threat to any person or the security of the institution, their safety is in jeopardy or their placement in the mainstream population would interfere with an investigation, and where no reasonable alternative to the transfer to the SIU exists.
• SIUs are meant as a temporary measure with the goal to return offenders to a mainstream population as soon as possible. In an SIU, inmates continue to have access to rehabilitative programming, interventions and mental health care.
• Offenders in SIUs are offered the opportunities for a minimum of four hours outside of their cell every day and two hours of “meaningful human contact” with someone such as an Elder, chaplain, counsellor, compatible inmate, parole officer, etc.
• SIUs are part of a historic transformation of the federal correctional system that are fundamentally different from the previous model.
• The safety and security of staff and offenders are paramount when making decisions about offender accommodation. CSC continues to implement a number of measures to ensure it provides a correctional environment that is safe, secure and conducive to offender rehabilitation, and public safety.

Opportunities and Challenges

Key Messages

• There are significantly fewer inmates in SIUs than in the former model. This shows that many efforts are being made to proactively manage inmates within a mainstream population and use SIUs as a last resort.
• During 2015-2016, there were 6,788 admissions to administrative segregation whereas the total number of authorizations for transfer to an SIU that started between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 was 2,267.
• CSC is aware of cases where inmates are not taking advantage of opportunities to leave their cell. CSC is working to provide more options for inmates to engage in time out of cell and opportunities for meaningful human contact, especially during the pandemic.
• Some practices at SIU sites include significant involvement by volunteers and community organizations. Examples include the use of workshops, art, social activities, and increased access to video visitation and telephone to connect with loved ones and community supports.
• CSC has also been taking action to address some of the trends and regional differences identified through the SIU data. CSC has gathered best practices and is sharing them across the country.
• There have also been some data integrity issues that CSC has been working to stabilize. A dedicated project team is currently working to improve the integrity, timeliness and quality of data available. Access to better data will further assist in identifying further trends and improvements needed. 

Consultation

Key Messages

• CSC continues to work with stakeholders to ensure ongoing feedback of the new SIU model and make adjustments to sustain this major transformation.
• CSC has reviewed several external reports and on June 17 and 18, 2021 held a virtual consultation on SIUs with over 30 organizations and individuals representing a broad range of perspectives.
• CSC received useful input that is being built into plans moving forward.
• This was an important opportunity for CSC to listen to the suggestions of stakeholders, including academics, non-government organizations, Indigenous peoples, legal and mental health experts, and citizen advisory members to gather their input on practical solutions related to these topics.
• CSC is strongly committed to the successful implementation of this new model and welcomes the ongoing contributions from partners and oversight bodies.
• CSC is open to conducting further consultation sessions with its stakeholders to discuss suggestions for additional improvements. 

Oversight – Structured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel

Key Messages

• The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness established the SIU Implementation Advisory Committee in 2019 as part of the Government’s efforts to provide oversight and accountability related to the operationalization of SIUs.
• The eight-person panel monitors and assesses the implementation of SIUs established by Bill C-83, which was adopted by Parliament in June 2019.
• The Advisory Panel was intended to provide non-binding recommendations and advice to the Commissioner of CSC and the Minister as to whether the SIUs are being implemented as intended by the legislation.
• The original panel was dissolved following the completion of its one-year term. In July 2021, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced the renewal of the SIU Implementation Advisory Panel and the appointment of Howard Sapers, former Correctional Investigator, as the Chair for a period of two years.
• The renewed panel will advise the Minister on any issues or concerns related to the implementation of the SIUs.

Oversight – Independent External Decision Makers

Key Messages

• Since their implementation, SIUs have been closely monitored by independent bodies to ensure transparency and accountability.
• Transfers to SIUs are subject to the oversight of Independent External Decision Makers (IEDMs). IEDMs are ministerial appointments who are primarily responsible for rendering fair, independent and impartial decisions related to an offender’s placement in an SIU.
• The IEDMs are independent professionals located across the country. They are comprised of lawyers, professors, and researchers with experience and knowledge in fields, such as criminal justice, mental health, vulnerable populations, human rights, administrative law, and other related fields of study.
• IEDMs contribute to the effective functioning of the system by monitoring and reviewing inmate cases on an ongoing basis, and by providing recommendations and decisions to CSC.
• As of August 31, 2021, there have been close to 1,690 reviews by IEDMs. In 80% of these cases, it was determined that CSC took all reasonable steps to provide inmates with opportunities for time out of cell and meaningful human contact and engage them to take advantage of these opportunities.

2.3 Health Services

Essential Health Services

Key Messages

• CSC is mandated, under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, to provide essential health care and reasonable access to non-essential health care.
• CSC provides primary care in all institutions and mental health care in all 43 institutions, and psychiatric inpatient care in five institutions for men, and one institution for women.
• In addition, CSC Health Services collaborates with community provincial specialty clinics (cancer, pain, dermatology, nephrology, etc.) and hospitals (emergency care, surgery, palliative care, diagnostics imaging, etc.) for services that cannot be provided within CSC’s institutions.
• The National Essential Health Services Framework outlines essential health services available for inmates. The framework promotes consistency across the country, which is one of the key priorities of Health Services.
• Provincial health care plans are used as a benchmark for determining which services should be considered essential in the framework.

Prison Needle Exchange Program

Key Messages

• Like much of Canadian society, CSC is experiencing the effect of Canada’s opioid crisis as a health issue.
• CSC approaches the issue from a health care and harm reduction perspective and uses a variety of measures to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
• Sharing of non-sterile needles is considered one of the ways that infectious diseases can be transmitted in correctional institutions. As such, CSC implemented a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) at two sites in June 2018.
• The PNEP has now been implemented at 9 institutions.
• Like in the community, the PNEP gives federal inmates access to sterile needles in an effort to limit the transmission of infectious diseases, such as HIV and HCV.  Some exemptions do apply where inmates can be suspended from the program when there are overriding, individual and specific security concerns.
• There have been no reported injuries or assaults involving staff or inmates associated with operating the Program.
• Reducing the spread of infectious diseases makes institutions safer for employees and offenders, and it makes communities safer when offenders are released.
• CSC is currently exploring activities to address the stigma associated with substance use disorder and implementing a concurrent treatment approach for patients with both substance use and mental health disorders.

Overdose Prevention Service

Key Messages

• In June 2019, CSC began an Overdose Prevention Service (OPS) at Drumheller Institution in the Prairie Region. The OPS at Drumheller is the only existing prison based supervised consumption site known worldwide.
• The OPS provides an opportunity for inmates who use illicit substances to do so in a supervised environment, where health care staff are available to provide health teaching, counselling, and emergency response in the event of a medical crisis.
• While there are overlapping goals between the PNEP and the OPS, the primary difference is that the OPS is intended to prevent overdose deaths by having health care professionals present during the use of substances who can respond to medical emergencies.
• Reducing the spread of infectious diseases makes institutions safer for employees and offenders, and it makes communities safer when offenders are released.

Medical Assistance in Dying

Key Messages

• CSC understands that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a complex and deeply personal issue for Canadians, including federal inmates and their families.
• The process for providing MAID is guided by patient-centred care, compassionate and humanitarian principles.
• CSC has implemented the medical assistance in dying legislation in federal penitentiaries and is providing inmates with the necessary resources.
• Federal inmates have access to MAID when they meet the eligibility criteria and safeguards outlined in legislation.
• Correctional facilities collaborate with community hospitals and health authorities to provide medically-assisted dying. CSC works with its community partners to have the procedure done in the community as much as possible.
• In addition to medical assistance in dying, offenders with a life-threatening, non-curable illness can apply for early release. The application is presented to the Parole Board of Canada for their review and decision.

2.4 Supporting Commitments – Oversight Bodies

Access to Information / Privacy Commissioner and Information Commissioner

Key Messages

• CSC is committed to providing Canadians with timely responses to Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests.
• CSC works diligently to ensure the privacy of Canadians is protected and that information is shared in compliance with all existing laws, policies, and guidelines.
• CSC continues to receive a high volume of Access to Information Act (ATIA) and Privacy Act (PA) requests that are increasingly complex in nature. CSC is steadfast in its commitment to addressing a backlog of outstanding requests.
• CSC has teams and processes in place to address outstanding complaints as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
• The reduction of the backlog remains a core priority for CSC and additional measures are being taken to address this. The ATIP division is developing a comprehensive Strategic Action Plan, including adding additional resources. This will help to address the backlog, reduce complaints and assist CSC in responding to requests in a more timely manner. This plan focuses on four pillars:

(1) Our Resources and People;
(2) Our Infrastructure;
(3) Our Culture and Practices; and
(4) Our Results.

• While respecting the independence of both the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Office of the Information Commissioner, CSC has forged a strong relationship with both offices in order to respond to the needs of Canadians and contribute to the open government commitment.  

Office of the Auditor General

Key Messages

• On February 18, 2020, the Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Respect in the Workplace was tabled in the House of Commons.
• The audit focused on whether both organizations (Canada Boarder Services Agency and CSC) promoted and maintained respectful workplaces free of harassment, discrimination, and violence by co-workers and supervisors.
• CSC recognizes the importance of the Auditor General’s findings.
• There is zero tolerance for harassment or violence in the organization and the misconduct by staff is not acceptable under any circumstances.
• CSC is committed to addressing issues brought forward and ensure a positive, healthy, respectful and supportive work environment for its employees.
• CSC has taken action by implementing a number of initiatives, including a national, comprehensive and integrated workplace wellness strategy, an anti-racism framework, a respectful workplace campaign and an audit of its culture to continue promoting a work environment where employees are treated with respect, dignity and fairness – and one where respectful behaviour is embedded in its culture.
• Additionally, Harassment and Workplace Violence Complaints processes have been developed and put into practice; a standardized assessment form for use when assessing harassment and violence complaints has been developed and is now in use; and a tip line to provide employees with additional avenues to report misconduct, which operates on a 24/7 basis, was created.

Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI)

Key Messages

• The OCI plays a critical role in assisting CSC in fulfilling its mandate to support offender rehabilitation and maintain public safety by identifying areas that can be improved in the federal correctional system.
• In February 2021, the OCI released its third public report on the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in federal corrections. The OCI reported on five issues: programming during COVID-19; the release of inmates in collaboration with the PBC; vaccinations; the result of external audits; and alternatives to incarceration.
• The OCI’s 2020-2021 annual report will be tabled in the next Parliament. The report, including CSC’s response, will be made public at that time.
• Each recommendation brought forth by the OCI requires careful consideration and meaningful action. CSC welcomes the OCI’s recommendations and works to address them as a key way to improve the way it delivers correctional services.

Official Languages

Key Messages

• CSC is committed to ensuring that services and communications take place in both official languages, where required.
• CSC makes every effort to ensure it has capacity to provide services in both official languages.
• All Canadians, including offenders, have the right to communicate with federal institutions in either English or French.
• Both offenders and the public can receive services in the language of their choice in designated areas.
• CSC monitors its official languages obligations using several mechanisms: active offer monitoring; quarterly report on official languages complaints; the application of the Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Order; and, the implementation of the current official languages action plan by sectors and regions.
• CSC is assessing language capacity in each region to ensure the official languages requirement of each position are met by 2024.

Parliamentary Committees

Key Messages

• CSC supports the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness in meeting their parliamentary responsibilities by:
  • preparing cards for responses on correctional issues during Question Period;
  • preparing responses to written questions, Library of Parliament Requests, Petitions, Adjournment Proceedings (Late Shows) or Senate Delayed Questions  from parliamentarians where CSC is implicated; and
  • preparing the Minister to respond to questions on correctional issues when they are called to do so before Parliamentary Committees.
• CSC officials are also regularly called to appear before standing committees of the Senate and the House of Commons as part of any study or review they may undertake where CSC is involved.
• Key Parliamentary Committees which regularly consider issues relating to CSC are:
  
  
  • The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) reviews the legislation, policies, programs and expenditure plans of government departments and agencies responsible for public safety and national security, policing and law enforcement, corrections and conditional release of federal offenders, emergency management, crime prevention and the protection of Canada's borders.

  During the 43rd Parliament, SECU tabled before Parliament a report entitled Report 8: Parole Board of Canada and the Circumstances that Led to a Young Women’s Death (June 22, 2021). Parliament was dissolved before a Government Response was required.

  In addition, prior to the dissolution, CSC was complying with a SECU Committee motion for the production of documents related to the implementation of Structured Intervention Units. CSC submitted 3,142 pages to SECU, out of a total of approximately 7,500 pages of CSC documents identified as potentially responding to the motion. The submission of documents was paused during the caretaker period.

  • The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) reviews and reports on the Public Accounts of Canada and all reports of the Auditor General of Canada. The Committee also has the general mandate to study and report on all matters relating to the mandate, management and operation of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

  During the 43rd Parliament, PACP tabled a report entitled Report 1: Respect in the Workplace (February 25, 2021) which studied the Fall 2020 Report of the Auditor General. The report was focussed on CSC and the Canada Border Services Agency. A Government Response was presented to the House of Common on June 4, 2021. CSC had responded to most of the specific recommendations related to corrections before Parliament was dissolved.

  • The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights (RIDR) deals with issues relating to human rights generally as may be referred to it by the Senate. Within this broad policy field, the Committee focuses on examining, exploring and monitoring issues of human rights.

  During the 43rd Parliament, RIDR tabled before Parliament a report entitled the Fourth Report: Human Rights of Federally-Sentenced Persons (June 16, 2021). Parliament was dissolved before a Government Response was required.

2.5 Ongoing Initiatives

Organization Culture Audit – Respect Campaign

Key Messages

• An audit of CSC’s organizational culture is currently underway.
• The objective of this audit is to provide reasonable assurance that CSC’s actual culture is aligned with its desired culture, while assisting in determining the root cause for why this may not be occurring.
• This audit is an important way to help assess all aspects of CSC’s environment and help guide the organization in adopting measures that will help improve the culture and the way the Service works.
• The 2020 Public Service Employee Survey is also an invaluable tool to help identify what CSC is doing well and where it needs to improve.
• The survey was designed to get feedback on how CSC was impacted in 2020. The results showed that the pandemic posed unique challenges for staff working in all areas of the organization.
• The survey results provide valuable information to support the audit.
• This is an opportunity to engage in CSC's organizational culture, examine all sides of its environment, and ensure the Service is adopting the right approaches moving forward. 

Overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous Offenders

Key Messages

• There is an overrepresentation of Indigenous and Black Canadians in our correctional institutions, which is a reflection of the disparities within our society that we must work to address at all levels of our criminal justice system.
• Indigenous Peoples account for 31% (men) and 43% (women) of the inmate population while Black offenders comprise almost 9% of the federal offender population.
• CSC is legally required and committed to ensuring that correctional policies, programs and practices respect the diversity of the population.
• CSC has close partnerships and relationships with a number of Indigenous communities and organizations that are built on mutual respect, rights and reconciliation. These relationships have contributed to CSC’s capacity to provide culturally responsive interventions and reintegration support services to Indigenous men and women offenders.
• CSC is working to increase horizontal collaboration with Indigenous communities and organizations, with other federal government departments, and provinces/territories to address overrepresentation.
• CSC’s case management process requires that an offender’s systemic and background factors be taken into consideration in decision-making. To better support this, CSC is developing Indigenous-informed assessment tools for case management.
• There is more work to do – CSC is listening, learning and working hard with its employees, partners and stakeholders to acknowledge and overcome the systemic issues that lead to these outcomes.

Anti-Racism Framework and Action Plan

Key Messages

• CSC strives to build a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization, where everyone feels welcomed.  
• Racism and discrimination have absolutely no place at CSC and the Service has no tolerance for these behaviours.
• Systemic racism is a complex issue that must involve all of us – at multiple layers of the criminal justice system. We must all play an active role in addressing it.
• CSC has an Anti-Racism Framework and Action Plan in place. It has three pillars: employees, offenders and stakeholders. This will include engagement with these groups.
• One initiative in the plan, for example, is a project to develop Indigenous-informed risk assessment processes and tools, from the group up, in partnership with universities and with Indigenous peoples.
• A Champion has been appointed and CSC is in the process of standing up an Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team to lead and monitor efforts moving forward.
• Anti-racism a standing agenda item at executive committee meetings to ensure progress and ongoing action.

Sexual Coercion and Violence

Key Messages

• CSC has a zero-tolerance approach for sexual violence of any kind in any of its institutions.
• The Service is taking a number of actions to address it and provide the necessary support to those in its care and custody, and knows there is more to do.
• All correctional officers are trained on inmate sexual assault, including what to do if this occurs and outlining their obligations to act in these types of situations.
• All allegations of sexual assault, violence or coercion must be reported and investigated. Employees, and specifically managers, have an obligation to contact the police immediately regarding any incidents or allegations of misconduct that could constitute a criminal offence.
• The 2019-2020 Annual Report of the OCI made four recommendations to CSC and two to the Minister of Public Safety related to Sexual Coercion and Violence (SCV) in institutions.
• CSC is taking a number of actions to address this important issue and provide the necessary support to inmates in its care and custody:
  • CSC is currently finalizing a new stand-alone Commissioner’s Directive (policy) that establishes a framework for preventing, detecting, responding to, reporting, and tracking incidents of sexual assault towards inmates.
  • CSC is working on increasing prevention and awareness through educational information to prevent these situations from occurring and ensuring inmates know how to come forward if they feel they are being victimized.
  • CSC added clear requirements in its policies to report to the police any incidents or allegations of misconduct that could constitute a criminal offence.
  • Public Safety Canada is conducting research to better understand this issue. This includes engaging International partners, Provinces and Territories to conduct research and learn from their practices. This will help CSC strengthen its approach and response to SCV going forward.

Gender Diverse Offenders

Key Messages

• In June 2017, Bill C-16, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, came into force. The amendments included the addition of "gender identity or expression" as an "identifiable group." This amendment was subsequently reflected in the CCRA by adding the respect of gender identity and expression to its guiding principles.
• CSC ensures that offenders who identify as transgender or gender diverse are given the same protections, dignity and treatment as other inmates.
• In December 2017, CSC promulgated the Interim Policy Bulletin on Gender Identity or Expression. This interim policy document outlines the high-level principles and changes to operational practice, and overrides any direction currently found in Commissioner's Directives or Guidelines.
• As a result of legislative changes, CSC has adopted new operational practices to:
  • Allow offenders to be placed in an institution according to their gender identity, unless there are overriding health or safety concerns;
  • Allow purchases of authorized items from CSC catalogues for either men or women if there are no safety, health, or security concerns according to the security level of the institution;
  • Allow offenders to choose whether strip and frisk searches and urinalysis testing are conducted by a male or a female employee; and
  • Allow offenders to determine their preferred name and pronoun.
• In September 2020, CSC created the Gender Considerations Secretariat, whose mandate is to develop CSC's overarching direction, guidance and tools for the management of offenders with gender considerations.
• To further assist staff who work with gender diverse offenders while ensuring a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for all, the Secretariat developed a Decision-Making Guide to expand on the direction provided in the Interim Policy Bulletin and other bulletins.
• CSC is committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for everyone, including gender diverse staff, offenders, contractors, volunteers and visitors.

CORCAN

Key Messages

• CORCAN, as a key rehabilitation program of CSC, aids in the safe reintegration of offenders by providing employment-related interventions and reintegration supports. CORCAN is available to all offenders.
• CORCAN provides the opportunity for offenders to develop employment skills through vocational and on-the-job skills training in five business lines (Manufacturing, Textiles, Construction, Services, and Agriculture) during their incarceration. In addition, vocational training is offered with third party certification across a larger scope of occupations.
• During fiscal year 2018-2019, CSC began the phased approach in implementing new penitentiary models for farm operations at two locations. The first step of this plan included dairy cow and dairy goat operations at Joyceville Institution (goat operations on hold since March 2021), in addition to land management, horticulture and crop production at Collins Bay Institution.
• Research demonstrates that offenders who participate in CORCAN employment and employability programs are more likely to find employment in the community, as well as offenders that are employed in the community are less likely to reoffend or return to federal custody.

Infrastructure

Key Messages

• CSC is implementing its Accommodation Plan (AP) 2020-2025. The plan was developed to “right-size and right-fit” CSC facilities based on specialized needs (indigenous, women and aging offenders, and those with mental health concerns) and the age/health of its facilities.
• The AP for 2020-2025 identifies the necessary projects required to maintain infrastructure on an ongoing basis and to plan for future key infrastructure activities.
• Through the use of comprehensive tools, such as Master Plans and Building Condition Reports, CSC has been able to develop a Capital Program of Work and Projects for Major Initiatives that more accurately capture specific infrastructure, maintenance, and recapitalization requirements.
• Over the coming years, CSC will continue to strategically allocate resources to improve the condition of existing infrastructure and address capacity pressures in male and female institutions.
• CSC has begun modernizing its business and technology with significant project investments such as the modernization of the Offender Management System.
• CSC is also looking at its digital infrastructure and opportunities for modernizing CSC institutions. 

Contraband Prevention – Body Scanners and Drones

Key Messages

• CSC recognizes the importance of keeping contraband out of institutions.
• CSC relies on staff professionalism and attentiveness, in combination with detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband.
• CSC uses a number of tools to prevent the flow of drugs in its institutions. These include searches of offenders, visitors, buildings, and cells using search tools including ion scanners and detector dogs.
• CSC also works closely with local police agencies and communities to stop non-authorized items from entering its institutions.
• There have been an increasing number of reported sightings of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or “drones” over the CSC facilities, as well as seizures of contraband introduced by such means.
• CSC has partnered with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on a collaborative investigation of the commercial technologies for the detection of drones. This partnership is helping CSC to gain an in-depth understanding of the various technologies available to detect drone intrusions. The NRC has assessed over 60 different systems/technologies.
• CSC is also reviewing the use of body scanners that will permit the identification of contraband on or within persons. Body scanners can also be used as an alternative to strip searches.
• As contraband detection technology and tools evolve, training for staff will be developed and adjusted.
• Over the next years, CSC will dedicate $6 million to implement its drone detection pilot program. A request for proposal was issued and recently closed. This pilot will allow for the use of new drone detection systems in CSC institutions over the next three years. 

Digital Initiatives

Key Messages

Digital Education

• The Digital Education Pilot Project (DEP) was implemented at Bath Institution on Nov. 23, 2020.
• This pilot is intended to take advantage of computer-assisted learning within a classroom environment.
• Due to the success, several courses have been added at Bath Institution, beyond Math and English, including culture specific courses and computer fundamentals certification courses.
• In March 2021, the DEP was expanded to Grand Valley Institution (GVI). In addition to the Math and English courses, GVI provides geography, entrepreneurship and a variety of other courses.
• In July 2021, a preliminary evaluation was conducted and revealed that despite the impacts of the pandemic, the project had exceeded expectations. It increased use of computers in courses; developed computer literacy in inmates; increased offender accountability and engagement; and allowed the programming to be adapted to Indigenous offenders and offenders with disabilities and learning difficulties.

Virtual Visits

• A Video Visitation service has been implemented across institutions to aid the continuous modernization of program and service delivery for offenders.
• Since March 2020, 46 kiosks were added for video visitation. There are now 103 kiosks across the country.
• As of May 2021, CSC saw an increase of 351% of successful calls when compared to March 2020. 
• Over the past four months, there were an average of 197 calls per day compared to 41 before the pandemic, representing an increase of close to 400%.
• Video visitation have allowed inmates to maintain and interact with family and community support contacts throughout COVID-19.

Virtual Programming

• CSC is working on the delivery of correctional programs in a virtual format. This will contribute to the improved safety of both staff and offenders, even after the pandemic, and provide programs more effectively.  It will also ensure more timely access for offenders seeking parole or release.

3.   Key Contacts

Anne Kelly, Commissioner

[Phone number redacted]
Anne.Kelly@csc-scc.gc.ca

Alain Tousignant, Senior Deputy Commissioner

[Phone number redacted]
Alain.Tousignant@csc-scc.gc.ca

Kirstan Gagnon, Assistant Commissioner, Communications and Engagement (Ministerial Services)

[Phone number redacted]
Kirstan.gagnon@csc-scc.gc.ca