Pardon Application Fee Reduced to $50

Summary#

The Pardon Services Fees Order lowers the fee people must pay to apply for a pardon (also called a record suspension) to $50. The change takes effect on January 1, 2022 (or on the day the order is registered if that happens later).

What it does#

• Defines what “pardon services” cover for the purposes of the order.
• Reduces the application fee for a pardon or record suspension handled by the Parole Board of Canada from $657.77 to $50.
• Repeals the previous Pardon Services Fees Order.
• States the order comes into force on January 1, 2022 (or on registration day if registered later).
• Keeps existing application processing time goals: 6 months for summary offences, 12 months for indictable offences, and up to 24 months for applications the Board is proposing to refuse.

Who's affected#

• People who apply to the Parole Board of Canada for a pardon or record suspension under the Criminal Records Act.
• The change is intended to help people who were deterred from applying by the higher fee, including low-income individuals and groups over-represented in the criminal justice system (the government cites Black Canadians and Indigenous Peoples).
• The Parole Board’s budget and operations, because the reduced fee is expected to cut the program’s fee revenue and increase application numbers.

Why it matters#

• A much lower fee makes it cheaper for people with criminal records to apply for a pardon or record suspension. That can help with finding work, housing, education and other supports.
• The government expects applications to rise (the Parole Board estimates as high as about 20,000 per year, compared with recent averages under 13,000).
• The fee cut is paid for by government funding rather than full cost recovery: the order notes a $50 fee will cover only a small share of program costs (the government previously estimated a full cost-recovery fee would be over $800).
• Service standards (how long applications should take) are not changed by this order.