The Parole Board of Canada has undertaken public consultations about the pardon application (record suspension) user service fees

Currently, the overall cost for an application for pardon varies around $786. This fee includes service fees of $631 for processing the request. Some charges for obtaining documents are also to be expected (approximatively $86 for fingerprinting, $69 for obtaining police files, no fees for obtaining information from courts in Quebec, but $4 fees are to be expected in Ontario). These additional charges serve as a reference. They can vary from region to region, and from facility to facility.  

The report from the consultations undertaken by the government has been released. Of the Canadians who have been consulted, 80% have stated that the service fees of $631 is a significant barrier, 16% find that it’s a minor barrier, while only 4% state that these fees are not a barrier. Most of the individuals that have been consulted find that the currently charged fees are a significant barrier to those who try to rebuild their lives. 

The CPSP supports the government’s initiative aiming to improving access to the current process of applying for a record suspension, and believes that it can contribute to improving the social reintegration process. The employment integration of people who have had their pardon granted is easier than for those who still have an active criminal record.