The Parole Board of Canada is only processing summary applications at this time. Indictable offences are not being processed until the backlog of summary applications is completed, leaving thousands waiting.

On October 7, 2014, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) published a new update on their website that was unlike those seen in the past. It says, “At this time, the PBC is currently only processing pardon applications for summary offences in the backlog. The Board anticipates having these applications completed by March 31st, 2015, and is currently processing those received in January 2012. Applications for indictable offences are not being processed at this time, to allow the Board to focus on the backlog of summary offences.”

This backlog developed as a result of the amendments made to the Criminal Records Act (CRA) in June 2010 and the implementation of Bill C-10 in February 2012. The PBC began prioritizing applications submitted under the new full-cost recovery model, which also resulted in mandatory processing time frames. This significantly impacted the lives of some 22,000 applicants which were waiting for their Pardons to be processed. As of October 1, 2014 this number has been reduced to 10,789 and the PBC is anticipating having another 20% cleared by March 15, 2015, which will still leave many applicants waiting. This means that the wait times for Pardon applications for indictable offences cannot be accurately determined at this time.

Record and Waiver Suspension Specialist from Pardon Services Canada, Morgan Shiah says, “This is a very frustrating time for those waiting to get on with their lives after having complied with all requirements of any past sentencing. Unanticipated legislation changes have left thousands of individuals with no choice but to be patient, which can be very unsettling when they’ve already waited several years.” Ms. Shiah goes on to say, “Having a criminal record impacts people’s ability to secure employment and housing, which is essential to sustaining a life style consistent with a law abiding citizen.”

If you have any questions about your Pardon application wait time, feel free to post a comment below.