Prisoners in provincial correctional facilities may receive a demand to complete substance testing (to test for evidence of alcohol or other substances). However, demands can only be made in certain circumstances: If the director or superintendent of the provincial correctional facility has authorized the demand and there are reasonable grounds to suspect i) the prisoner has consumed or used alcohol or another substance, and ii) a test is...
If a young person receives a youth sentence, then they will generally serve it in a youth correctional facility. Once the youth turns 18 years old, then an application can be brought by the provincial director to authorize the transfer of the young person to a provincial correctional facility for adults (if it's in the best interests of the young person or in the public interest). A youth justice can also authorize a transfer to a penitentiary,...
Prisoners in provincial jails in Ontario can purchase items from their institution's canteen. Items must be purchased using money held in the prisoner's trust account. This account consists of the money the prisoner had in their possession on their admission to the institution and any money the prisoner receives while incarcerated. Family and friends seeking to provide a prisoner with canteen money should contact the prisoner's institution,...
Earned remission allows provincial prisoners to be released prior to their warrant expiry date. Prisoners can be credited with 15 days of remission for each month served, which they can earn by obeying prison rules and conditions governing temporary absences, as well as for participating in programs. Prisoners do not accumulate earned remission while on parole. Prisoners can lose part or all of their earned remission if they are found to have...
Prisoners in provincial correctional facilities in Ontario are eligible to apply for temporary absence permits. These allow prisoners to be released into the community for some period of time, which could be anywhere from several hours up to 60 days. The decision to grant or deny an application can be made by the Ontario Parole Board, the Superintendent of the correctional facility the prisoner is incarcerated, or select other individuals in...
The federal government announced its plan to vaccinate 600 elderly and vulnerable federal prisoners. The Correctional Service of Canada has begun vaccinating prisoners, which is an important step to help control the spread of COVID-19, both in prisons and the community at large. While the government's announcement has not been without controversy, there are a number of reasons why it is important to vaccinate prisoners: Prisons are at higher...
Legal Aid Ontario recently announced changes to its funding for temporary absence applications for prisoners in federal and provincial institutions. The funding now applies to temporary absences or "other release remedies" that can address the increasingly dangerous conditions COVID-19 has created within prisons and jails. Lawyers can fill out an application on behalf of their clients, which will be processed without merit or financial testing....
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Legal Aid Ontario is now allowing lawyers to apply for funding for clients seeking Temporary Absence Permits ("TAPs"). TAPs enable inmates serving sentences of less than 2 years to be released into the community before their parole eligibility dates. TAPs can be granted for anywhere from several hours to several weeks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, TAPs are a useful tool to reduce the number of people in...
Provincial inmates looking to get released into the community before their parole eligibility date can apply for Temporary Absences Permits ("TAPs"). A TAP is a privilege granted for a particular purpose. The grounds for applying for a TAP are listed on the Temporary Absence Application: Education Treatment (medical) Compassionate (humanitarian) Community work Employment Rehabilitation Reintegration Other Inmates can check off one or more...
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, changes are being made to the Temporary Absence Permit ("TAP") procedure set out in Regulation 778 under the Ministry of Correctional Services Act. These amendments will: Allow senior corrections officials to grant TAPs for periods longer than 72 hours (previously, the Ontario Parole Board had to authorize any TAP longer than 72 hours); and Allow the Ontario Parole Board to conduct hearings electronically or...
