2024-25 Parole Board of Canada Departmental Plan

From the Institutional head

As Chairperson of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC), I am pleased to present the 2024-25 Departmental Plan. This report highlights our main areas of focus and the results we aim to achieve over the coming year.

The PBC, as an independent administrative tribunal and integral part of the Canadian criminal justice system, makes quality conditional release, record suspension/pardon and expungement decisions, as well as clemency recommendations. The PBC contributes to the Government of Canada’s mandate of providing a safe and secure Canada by facilitating, as appropriate, the timely reintegration of offenders and the sustained rehabilitation of individuals into society as law-abiding citizens. The protection of society is the paramount consideration in all PBC decisions. The PBC operates in a transparent and accountable manner, while respecting diversity and the rights of offenders and victims, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities and authorities.

In 2024-25, the PBC will continue to deliver on its core public safety mandate, as well as innovate and strengthen its responsiveness to the specific needs of parole applicants and those who have legislated reviews such as women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and other vulnerable and racialized people. The PBC will also continue to champion diversity, equity and inclusion and will work with its criminal justice and community partners to contribute to the elimination of systemic barriers within the criminal justice system.

The PBC is also committed to promoting a healthy, respectful, collegial, productive, and safe work environment for all of its Board members and staff. In addition, the PBC will maintain its focus on cultivating a people management regime that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion, combined with a modernized training approach that promotes innovation and excellence. The PBC finds itself operating in an ever evolving and complex legal landscape with enhanced public scrutiny, requiring enhanced training, an up-to-date policy framework and new tools, methods and resources to effectively deliver its public safety mandate.

I am confident that, by carrying out the plans and priorities outlined in this report, the PBC has set a course to ensure it meets the highest standards of professionalism in its contribution to public safety.

_____________________________

Jennifer Oades
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services:

• Conditional Release Decisions
• Conditional Release Openness and Accountability
• Record Suspension/Pardon and Expungement Decisions/Clemency Recommendations
• Internal services

Conditional Release Decisions

Description

Conditional release is based on the principle and supported by research that community safety is enhanced by the timely and gradual release of offenders to the community under supervision. Quality conditional release decisions, based on the risk of re-offending in conjunction with effective programs and treatment, and effective community supervision all contribute to the release process. Through this core responsibility, the Parole Board of Canada provides timely, accurate information for Board member decision-making, and develops training and policies that are essential tools for risk assessment and decision-making that are in accordance with the law.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, and more specifically to the representation in corrections and custodial population and confidence in institutions.

Results and targets

The following tables show, for each departmental result related to Conditional Release Decisions the indicators, the results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2024-25.

The financial, human resources and performance information for the PBC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The PBC’s Conditional Release core responsibility is grounded in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. For the coming year, the PBC will continue to work closely with its criminal justice partners (i.e., Public Safety, Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Department of Justice, and other community partners) to support quality conditional release decisions. In 2024-25, the PBC will hold approximately 15,000 reviews and expects to render approximately 21,000 decisions for federal and provincial/territorial offenders.

The PBC will continue to support Board member capacity and training over the next year to ensure that quality conditional release decisions continue to be rendered. The PBC supports the government’s approach to openness, accountability, and transparency, and will continue to work with the Privy Council Office (PCO) to complete Board member qualification processes in a timely manner. To optimize high-quality decision-making, Board members must have access to relevant and timely training. The PBC continues to employ in-person meetings and training complemented by virtual options for attendance and will further develop relevant case study training modules to enhance Board member orientation/training in 2024-25. A harmonization exercise will continue in 2024-25 to ensure that the PBC is working in a consistent manner for the achievement of common objectives that fall within the PBC’s policy, legislative, and procedural framework, and that can be maintained across all PBC offices. The PBC will also achieve this by advancing its Training Review Initiative, supported by results of the 2023 Learning Summit and the recommendations of the 2023 External Review of PBC’s Training Framework.

The PBC established a Working Group on Systemic Racism and Diversity tasked with considering issues of diversity in general, with attention to anti-Black racism and Indigenous concerns in particular. This included considerations for the experience of persons sentenced to imprisonment, employee experience, and the larger criminal justice system. The PBC subsequently published a report entitled, Moving Towards Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and developed an Action Plan in response to the report’s recommendations. In 2024-25, the PBC will continue to implement recommendations from the PBC’s Action Plan including the expansion of culturally responsive hearing processes for Black individuals. The PBC is also engaged in the Department of Justice led Canada's Black Justice Strategy to strengthen the criminal justice system for Black individuals.

The PBC will continue to strive to further improve initiatives that aim to make the parole process more responsive and adaptive to the needs of women, Indigenous Peoples, Black individuals, and other racialized groups. It will also continue to promote the implementation of Canada’s First 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan (advanced rights and equality for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse people in Canada).

In 2024-25, PBC hearings will continue to be held through a combination of in-person and remote participation. In 2024-25, the PBC expects that the number of culturally responsive hearings will increase relative to the previous fiscal year.

Key risks

While the PBC has significant mitigation strategies in place, quality decision-making remains one of the PBC’s key risks. Sub-risks include:

• Maintaining national consistency in the implementation of harmonized procedures and policies across the PBC;
• Enhancing Board member qualification, competencies, and training; and
• Responding to the complex and diverse profiles of the incarcerated population (recognizing that PBC does not influence the rates of incarceration of various groups).

Consistent with the provisions of the Acts that govern the PBC, the uniform application of decision-making across such a large geographical area is paramount. Comprehensive and state-of-the-art training is the foundation for quality decision-making therefore the PBC will ensure core training and tools are up-to-date and made available in a timely manner for Board members and staff.

In addition, standardized support and processes are equally important, especially with the implementation and use of electronic files, as Board members can now complete reviews more efficiently.

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024–25

Planned spending: $46,247,091

• Planned full-time resources: 322

Related government priorities

Gender-based analysis plus

The PBC has implemented a Gender-Based Analysis Plus Framework to ensure that intersecting factors are considered in policy, programs, and initiatives under this core responsibility. For example, adapted hearing processes are available for Indigenous and Black individuals to contribute to understanding of systemic and background factors in decision-making.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The PBC will contribute to implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda by continuing to provide Indigenous Cultural Competency training to all employees and Board members as well as ensuring that Board members have completed the Indigenous Cultural Responsiveness Training (ICRT) within one year of their active mandate. This will help meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and take action on inequality by continuing the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in support of the UN Declaration 2023 to 2028 Action Plan.

More information on the PBC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Program inventory

Conditional Release Decisions is supported by the following program in the program inventory:

• Conditional Release Decisions.

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes made to reporting framework since last year

There were no changes made to the reporting framework since last year.

Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

Description

This core responsibility ensures that the PBC operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. It includes working with victims of crime, offenders, and the public by providing information about our policies and programs, including access to the PBC's registry of decisions, as well as providing assistance for observers at hearings. The core responsibility also includes working to encourage citizen engagement, enhancing public education and awareness, investigating incidents in the community (i.e., when a new offence occurs), monitoring the PBC's performance and reporting on conditional release results.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, and more specifically to confidence in institutions and access to fair and equal justice.

Results and targets

The following tables show, for each departmental result related to Conditional Release Openness and Accountability, the indicators, the results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2024-25.

The financial, human resources and performance information for the PBC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

In 2024-25, the PBC will continue to focus significant resources and efforts on community outreach, as well as engagement with criminal justice and community partners and networks.

The PBC will continue to deliver a blend of in-person and virtual outreach to Canadians. Virtual outreach through online videoconference technology has proven to be an effective and efficient method of building on more traditional face-to-face outreach and broadening the PBC’s potential reach with both established and new audiences. The PBC will seek to continue to increase its in-person outreach to pre-pandemic levels by continuing to offer this service. The PBC plans to deliver in-reach sessions to women, Indigenous and Black incarcerated individuals on the parole decision-making and hearing process and to promote the availability of culturally responsive hearings.

As part of the Board member qualification process, the PBC will continue to enhance its outreach strategy to promote Board member opportunities to various diversified organizations and associations across the country. Recognizing the PBC’s legislative requirement to have a Board member complement that reflects the population that it serves, continued efforts will be made to attract a broader range of individuals to apply on Board member qualification processes.

The use of social media to promote awareness and understanding of the PBC’s mandate, programs and services will also continue to be a key focus. Increased presence in public communications remains an important part of creating openness and accountability and is a priority for the PBC. Additionally, working with CSC, through various working groups, remains an important component to effectively deliver core responsibilities.

The PBC recognizes the important role that victims play in the conditional release process, and remains committed to respecting and protecting their rights under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. The PBC will continue to facilitate victim and observer participation in hearings.

Key risks

There is a risk that the exchange of relevant information with victims, offenders, observers, other components of the criminal justice system, and the general public does not occur in a timely fashion.

The PBC ensures that victims’ rights under the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights; and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act are respected, and takes a collaborative approach to continually improve trauma-informed and culturally responsive services provided to victims, and to ensure that victim issues continue to be considered in the delivery of the PBC’s mandate.

The PBC will also ensure it continues to have access to a videoconferencing solution that can meet its evolving needs with respect to remote hearings, with a focus on accommodating diverse stakeholders and respecting privacy requirements.

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024–25

• Planned spending: $5,232,835
• Planned full-time resources: 51

Related government priorities

Gender-based analysis plus

The PBC has implemented a Gender-Based Analysis Plus Framework to ensure that intersecting factors are considered in policy, programs, and initiatives under this core responsibility. The PBC considers the unique needs and overrepresentation of certain incarcerated populations to identify training and target outreach activities.

Program inventory

Conditional Release Openness and Accountability is supported by the following program in the program inventory:

• Conditional Release Openness and Accountability.

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

There were no changes made to the reporting framework since last year.

Record Suspension/Pardon and Expungement Decisions/Clemency Recommendations

Description

A record suspension/pardon is designed to support the sustained reintegration of an individual into society. It is an administrative act to remove the stigma of a criminal record for persons convicted of an offence under an Act of Parliament, who have completed their sentence, having met the criteria in the Criminal Records Act (CRA) and demonstrated law-abiding behaviour for a prescribed number of years. Record suspensions/pardons can be revoked or cease to have effect if a new offence is committed or a person is no longer found to be of good conduct.  In meeting this core responsibility, the PBC screens applications for completeness and eligibility, collects information for Board member decision-making and develops policy to guide decision-making processes.

In addition, under the Expungement Act, the PBC will order the expungement of records of convictions for eligible offences that would be lawful today. Persons convicted of an offence listed in the schedule to the Expungement Act may apply, as well as authorized representatives in cases where the person is deceased. The difference between a record suspension/pardon and an expungement is that with a record suspension/pardon, the criminal record is held ‘separate and apart’ from other criminal records, while an expungement will completely destroy the record. The PBC is also accountable for assessing requests and providing recommendations under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (i.e., clemency) and providing advice to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on the merits of each case.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, and more specifically to confidence in institutions and access to fair and equal justice.

Results and targets

The following tables show, for each departmental result related to Record Suspension/Pardon and Expungement Decisions/Clemency Recommendations, the indicators, the results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2024-25.

The financial, human resources and performance information for the PBC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The PBC will effectively administer this core responsibility by assessing and processing all applications for record suspensions/pardons within the established processing times and by assessing and processing expungements in a timely manner.

The PBC will also continue to work with criminal justice partners during the assessment of record suspension/pardon applications to facilitate processing and investigations.

As part of a broader government strategy to modernize the record suspension/pardons program, work will continue in 2024-25 on a multi-year project to enhance the PBC’s internal case management and decision-making system, the Pardon and Record Suspension System (PARSS). This project will modernize the current system, including interoperability with the RCMP, and include the implementation of a new public facing online portal to allow for the submission of record suspension/pardon, expungement and clemency applications electronically, and other correspondence in alternate formats making the process simpler and quicker.

In order to achieve this important objective, the PBC received funding through Budget 2021. This funding also provided for a reduction in the record suspension application fee from $657.77 to $50, which significantly increased accessibility to a record suspension/pardon. The application fee was reduced through the Pardon Services Fees Order in January 2022. In March 2020, the Federal Court declared the transitional provisions of amendments to section 4 of the CRA, namely, section 10 of the Limiting Pardons of Serious Crimes Act and section 161 of the Safe Streets and Communities Act, unconstitutional. The Court concluded that these provisions infringed on subsections 11(h) and 11(i) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms because they added to the punishment imposed at sentencing and deprived applicants of the benefit of the lesser punishment available at the time the offence was committed. As a result of this decision, the PBC no longer retrospectively applies legislative amendments made to the CRA in 2010 and 2012 (as it relates to eligibility periods and criteria) for all record suspension applicants who committed their first offence prior to the coming into force of these changes. The substantial reduction in the application fee, combined with the 2020 Federal Court decision, should over time restore record suspension application volumes to near pre-2010 levels.

In 2024-25, the PBC will continue to administer the Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act as well as process cannabis record suspension applications that are submitted under the amendments made to the CRA as a result of Bill C-93, an Act to provide no-cost, expedited record suspensions for simple possession of cannabis, which came into force in August 2019.

A Clemency Program Renewal exercise was approved in May 2021 and is in the final stages of completion. This exercise outlined challenges facing the program and aims to strengthen the overall integrity of the Clemency Program with a continued focus on enhancing program operations to support the implementation of an internal service standard to allow clemency applications to be processed in a more timely manner. Recommendations stemming from the results of this renewal exercise will be implemented through 2024-25.

Key risks

Processing applications within the established processing timeframes remains one of the PBC’s key risks under this core responsibility. Moreover, the PBC continues to operate four legislative schemes, including cannabis record suspensions, which significantly increases program complexity as each legislative scheme varies in eligibility and decision-making criteria. Administering multiple schemes puts the integrity of the program at risk. Furthermore, the current case management system, implemented in 2000-01, has been modified several times to incorporate legislative and process changes. The system is not able to interface with any online application portal and applicants are not able to apply for a record suspension online at this time. As noted above, the PBC is working to improve the PARSS functionality and transition the program’s application process to become accessible online, whereby applicants can use a secure portal to submit applications, transmit documents digitally, and seek updates on the status of their application.

Thorough training is the foundation for decision-making, as such, the PBC will ensure core training and tools are up-to-date and made available in a timely manner for Board members and staff.

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024–25

• Planned spending: $13,251,955
• Planned full-time resources: 83

Related government priorities

Gender-based analysis plus

The PBC has implemented a Gender-Based Analysis Plus Framework to ensure that intersecting factors are considered in policy, programs, and initiatives under this core responsibility.

Program inventory

Record Suspension/Pardon and Expungement Decisions/Clemency Recommendations is supported by the following program in the program inventory:

• Record Suspension/Pardon and Expungement Decisions/Clemency Recommendations.

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

There were no changes made to the reporting framework since last year.

Internal services

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• management and oversight services
• communications services
• legal services
• human resources management services
• financial management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• real property management services
• materiel management services
• acquisition management services

Plans to achieve results

The planned internal services activities for 2024-25 as outlined below will play a vital supporting role in achieving the PBC’s mandate. These internal service activities are influenced by the following PBC corporate priorities:

• cultivating a people management approach that fosters diversity and inclusiveness, recognizes the benefits of flexible work arrangements, and promotes a healthy, respectful, productive and safe work environment; and
• enhancing IM/IT tools to improve program delivery and client services.

The key areas of focus in 2024-25 are:

• people management;
• employment equity;
• diversity and inclusion;
• accessibility;
• workplace health and safety;
• the future of the workplace;
• support the PBC’s core IT key activities (through the Mater Service Agreement (MSA) with CSC); and
• contribute to the SDGs identified in PBC’s 2023-27 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS).

In 2024-25, the PBC will continue to develop people management strategies that provide the flexibility to facilitate the realignment of resources to priorities, and support managers in recruiting and retaining talent, and providing a positive work environment. It plans to build upon the foundation created by its Talent Management Framework with the focus on reducing staffing pressures and exploring talent-sharing collaborations with other departments while providing targeted learning. The PBC will continue to foster and promote professional development for its employees, integrate values and ethics into their daily work, and ensure that the PBC has the right competencies for key positions. In addition, the PBC plans to continue to support the mental health and wellbeing of its Board members and staff by renewing and promoting its service agreements with the Employee Assistance Program (including LifeSpeak), Ombuds Services, and Informal Conflict Management Services.

In 2024-25, the PBC will also focus on areas of employment equity, diversity and inclusion (EEDI) by implementing measures that support the Clerk’s Call to Action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the Federal Public Service, the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and other government initiatives/strategies. The goal is to attract, recruit, mobilize, develop, and retain talent in under-represented employment-equity and equity seeking groups. As such, the PBC will continue the delivery of the PBC’s Employment Equity Plan by increasing the recruitment of under-represented groups, according to the Workforce Availability.

The PBC will continue its efforts on the implementation of its Policy on Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention, and the requirements of the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations. Specifically, the PBC will focus on delivering training to its Board members and staff that is specific to the culture, conditions, and activities of the PBC’s workplace, as well as developing tools and awareness communications on responding to and reporting occurrences of workplace harassment and violence.

As the hybrid work model continues to evolve across the Public Service, the PBC will continue developing its Future of the Workplace Framework by assessing its accommodation requirements, including space, technological, and security requirements over the short and medium term (i.e., next 1 to 5 years). The PBC also plans to strengthen its materiel management framework through the improvement of asset management practices for fleet vehicles and other non-IT assets.

In 2024-25, the PBC will continue to provide acquisition services. The service delivery model offers services to other small departments and agencies (SDA). The service began as a pilot in 2023-24 and PBC signed Service Level Agreements with eight SDAs. The plan is to sign additional agreements to achieve a stable revenue and service delivery model in the following years on an ongoing basis. The intent is to build stable capacity, develop and retain the employees in procurement, and address shortages in terms of acquisition management services at the PBC and within the SDA community.

The PBC will contribute to the advancement of the SDGs outlined in PBC’s 2023-27 DSDS by:

• continuing the progress in the transformation of its light-duty fleet vehicles to meet Canada’s Agenda for 2030, where suitable options are available and meet PBC operational feasibility;
• ensuring that all identified procurement and materiel management specialists, and acquisition card holders are trained in green procurement; and
• developing and publishing building emergency and evacuation plans for each PBC office and developing a process to allow employees and Board members to request individualized emergency plans.

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024-25

• Planned spending: $13,851,811
• Planned full-time resources: 77

Related government priorities

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

• The PBC has a budget of approximately $8.6 million for Professional and Special Services. Out of this amount, $7.6 million is for internal expenditures for internal services provided by other government departments such as IT services, legal services and translation. This leaves an amount of around $1M for external expenditures that mainly goes for advisors and subject matter experts.
• Over the years, the PBC has been collaborating with Elders and Cultural Advisors to provide responsive hearings for Indigenous offenders. The contracts for services with Elders and Cultural Advisors represent the main part of the PBC’s plan to meet the mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses annually. The PBC will continue to develop strategies to enhance and maintain its list of suppliers that provide culturally adapted hearings.
• The PBC also plans to purchase material and supplies such as professional services, office furniture, and office supplies with Indigenous businesses that are on standing offers.

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of PBC’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2024–25 with actual spending from previous years.

Spending

Figure [1]: Spending by core responsibility in 2024-25

The graphic below depicts the PBC’s planned spending for each core responsibility.

Explanation of table [9]

The actual spending increased over the fiscal years due to additional funding through Supplementary Estimates and negotiated salary increases.

Explanation of table [10]

The PBC’s total planned spending for 2024-25 compared to the Main estimates 2024-25, is explained by the forecasted Operating Budget Carry Forward of five percent and the planned reprofile due to delays in the implementation of the renewal of the Pardon and Record Suspension System (PARSS) from 2023-24. The reductions in planned spending for future years is in relation to the Government Refocusing Spending stemming from Budget 2023. The PBC proposed reductions includes returning A-Base funding associated with the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS) initiative, which is led by Health Canada.

The PBC contributes to the CDSS through provincial decision-making in the Atlantic, Prairies, and Pacific regions. In 2008-09, at the time the strategy was introduced and received funding the annual increase to the number of provincial reviews was estimated to be approximately 900. The annual increase to the number of reviews has not materialized. The actual impact was an average of 97 reviews a year over the last five years. In 2020-21, the annual average daily count of adults in provincial and territorial custody declined 21% from the previous year.

While identifying/determining reductions, the PBC’s underlying fundamental considerations are public safety, effective program delivery, ensuring BM quality decision-making, and minimizing/mitigating operational risks.

Explanation of table [11]

In 2022-23, PBC sought a Vote Netting Revenue authority to provide procurement services to other small departments and agencies. The PBC has the ongoing authority to provide these services on a cost recovery basis up to $500,000.

Funding

Figure [2]: Departmental spending 2021–22 to 2026–27

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.

In 2024-25, the PBC plans to spend $78.6 million in parliamentary authorities to meet the expected results of its core responsibilities. This includes: $74.0 million in funding to be received through the Main Estimates plus an operating budget carry-forward related to 2023-24 lapses up to five percent of the 2023-24 Main Estimates and the planned capital investment reprofile of the PARSS from 2023-24. For 2025-26 the decrease is due to the Government Refocusing Spending announced in the Budget 2023.

Estimates by vote

Information on the PBC’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2024–25 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the PBC’s operations for 2023-24 to 2024-25.

The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available at PBC’s website.

Explanation of table [12]

Planned results for the 2024-25 fiscal year are expected to be slightly higher than the 2023-24 forecast mainly because of the planned capital investment reprofile of the PARSS.

Human resources

Explanation of table [13]

The planned FTEs spending increased over the fiscal years is due to additional ongoing funding received through Supplementary Estimates B in 2022-23.

Explanation of table [14]

The decrease in planned FTEs over the coming fiscal years is due to the Government Refocusing Spending announced in the Budget 2023. A reduction in budget equivalent to 11 FTEs by 2026-27 is related to returning A-Base funding associated with the CDSS initiative and will fall under the PBC’s Conditional Release Decisions Core Responsibility. The PBC will identify additional savings through its annual Integrated Operational Planning (IOP) process. The purpose of the IOP is to identify which activities will be undertaken, how resources (financial and human) will be allocated to activities, and what challenges/risks will be faced in performing tasks with constrained resources. An additional six FTEs by 2026-27 will be reduced through this exercise. The incremental reductions will happen by staff turnover/attrition.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., K.C., M.P.

Institutional head: Jennifer Oades, Chairperson.

Ministerial portfolio: Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Enabling instrument: The legal authorities under which the PBC operates includes the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and its regulations, the Criminal Records Act and its Regulations, the Letters Patent, the Criminal Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and other legislation.

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1959.

Other: The PBC contributes to the Government of Canada’s outcome of a safe and secure Canada. The PBC contributes to this outcome by making timely conditional release, record suspension/pardon, and expungement decisions and clemency recommendations.

The PBC is headed by a Chairperson who reports to Parliament through the Minister of Public Safety. The Minister, however, does not have statutory authority to give direction to the Chairperson or other Board members of the PBC in the exercise of their decision-making powers. This structure helps to ensure the impartiality and integrity of the PBC’s decision-making process.

In making conditional release, record suspension/pardon decisions, as well as clemency recommendations, the PBC’s primary objective is the protection of society. In rendering its decisions, the PBC is autonomous and independent. However, its decisions are open and transparent to the public, consistent with its legislation and policies.

Public safety is the paramount consideration in all PBC decisions. The PBC contributes to public safety by facilitating, as appropriate, the timely reintegration of offenders into society as law-abiding citizens. In addition, a record suspension or pardon allows people who were convicted of a criminal offence, but who have completed their sentence and demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens for a prescribed number of years, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records.

The PBC also has legislative responsibility to order or refuse to order the expungement of records of convictions for eligible offences that would be lawful today under the Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act.

Outcomes of the PBC’s work can be found in its annual Performance Monitoring Report (PMR). The PMR provides performance and statistical information for the past five years for the PBC’s two legislative based core responsibilities: conditional release, and record suspension and clemency.

The PBC carries out its responsibilities through a national office in Ottawa, as well as six offices in five regions across the country (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairie, and Pacific).

Figure [3]: PBC Locations

The PBC’s regional offices deliver the conditional release program. Conditional release decisions are made by Board members, who are supported in their decision-making by Public Service staff. Staff schedule hearings, review file information for decision-making, ensure that information for decision-making is shared with offenders, and communicate conditional release decisions to CSC representatives and others as required. Regional staff also provide information to victims, make arrangements for observers at hearings, manage requests for access to the PBC’s Decision Registry, and deliver program outreach and engagement activities.

While Board members from all five regions and the national office make decisions related to record suspensions, the data collection, investigation and assessment work for record suspensions and clemency are conducted by Public Service staff at the national office. In addition, Board members of the Appeal Division at the national office contribute to the quality of the PBC’s decision-making process by ensuring that conditional release decisions adhere to the law, PBC’s policies, and the principle of fundamental justice.

Public Service employees at the national office develop national policies and procedures related to all core responsibilities, coordinate Board member qualification and appointment processes, as well as Board member training, deliver a program of public information education, and respond to Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests. Other work performed at the national office includes strategic and operational planning, policy development, resource management, program monitoring, professional standards, quality assurance (e.g., case reviews and investigations), and an array of internal services.

Consistent with the provisions of the Acts that govern the PBC, Board members are independent in their decision-making responsibilities, and free from outside interference of any kind. As independent decision-makers, Board members are bound by legislation, guided by policy, and are responsible for:

• Reviewing all information available to them for consideration in conditional release, record suspension/pardons, and clemency cases;
• Conducting an in-depth analysis of each case, and requesting additional information, as necessary, to support quality decision-making;
• Assessing the risk and other factors related to cases, voting independently on the disposition of each case, and providing sound, well-documented, written reasons for decisions; and
• Ensuring that reviews are conducted in accordance with the duty to act fairly, and with respect for all procedural safeguards.

The Chairperson of the PBC is a full-time Board member and its Chief Executive Officer. The Chairperson directs the PBC’s delivery of core responsibilities in keeping with the Government of Canada’s overall plans and priorities. The Chairperson is accountable for the effectiveness and efficiency of the PBC’s policies and operations and is assisted in these responsibilities by the Executive Vice-Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson of the Appeal Division, the five regional Vice-Chairpersons, the Deputy Chairperson and senior managers.

The Executive Vice-Chairperson exercises all powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Chairperson, in the event of the absence of the Chairperson. The Executive Vice-Chairperson is responsible for overseeing the Board member qualification and appointment processes, training, professional conduct, Board member complaints and annual evaluations as well as quality assurance for all Board members and Vice-Chairpersons. The Executive Vice-Chairperson is also responsible for overseeing the Appeal Operations section.

The Deputy Chairperson of the PBC is its senior staff member and Chief Operating Officer. The Deputy Chairperson, in support of the Chairperson, provides leadership for strategic and operational planning, policy development, resource management, program monitoring and administration, as well as the operation of the national and regional offices.

The following organizational chart provides additional details.

Figure [4]: Organizational Structure

Note: Within the chart below the blue background denotes Governor-in-Council term appointees and the grey background signifies public service employees.

Organizational contact information

Mailing Address: Public Affairs and Partnerships Division

410 Laurier Avenue West

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0R1

Telephone: (613) 954-7474

E-mail: info@PBC-CLCC.gc.ca

Website(s): Canada.ca/Parole-Board-of-Canada

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the PBC’s website:

• Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

Information on the PBC’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on PBC’s website.

Federal tax expenditures

The PBC’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government‑wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.