Correctional Service of Canada responds to the passage of Bill C-83

OTTAWA, June 21, 2019 – Today, Anne Kelly, the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada, made the following statement on the passage of Bill C-83 – An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and another Act:

“The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is supporting the Government of Canada in strengthening the country’s federal correctional system. This Act makes important changes that further protect human rights, enhance our rehabilitation and reintegration results and improve mental health outcomes, while upholding security in our institutions.

The amendments to the Correctional and Conditional Release Act in Bill C-83 eliminate segregation, further address the needs of Indigenous peoples and affirm the importance of clinically independent and patient-centred health care. These changes will also support enhanced assessment and early diagnosis of inmates at intake and throughout incarceration, enhanced primary and acute mental health care, and provide for patient advocacy services.

Another important change is the introduction of a new correctional model and the use of structured intervention units (SIUs) for inmates who cannot be managed safely within a mainstream inmate population. Structured interventions and programming will be available to inmates to address their specific risks and needs, with the goal of facilitating their reintegration into a mainstream inmate population as soon as possible. It is expected that SIUs will enhance correctional outcomes, as well as assist in reducing the rate of institutional violent incidents, resulting in a safer environment for staff, offenders and visitors. Completion of the necessary infrastructure changes, policy development and staff hiring and training is anticipated by November 2019. 

These legislative changes will transform our federal correctional system while ensuring our institutions provide a safe and secure environment conducive to inmate rehabilitation, staff safety and the protection of the public. They will also help ensure that our correctional system continues to be progressive and takes into account the needs of a diverse offender population.”

-30-