Pardons

A pardon, otherwise known as a record suspension, allows people with a criminal conviction to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other active criminal records. If a person obtains a pardon for a particular conviction, it is not erased from their record, however, the offence will not appear in any CPIC searches. Nor will it show that the person was issued a pardon.

In order to secure a pardon, a person must have completed their sentence and demonstrate they are law-abiding citizens. A person who has committed a summary offence may apply for a pardon five years after completing their sentence. The waiting period for people convicted of indictable offences is 10 years. 

Who issues pardons?

The Canadian federal government has the authority to issue pardons. Specifically, the Parole Board of Canada is the federal agency that has exclusive jurisdiction to grant, refuse to grant or to revoke a pardon. The law that governs pardons is known as the Criminal Records Act.

Am I eligible for a pardon?

Any person convicted of an offence under a federal act or regulation of Canada. You do not have to be a citizen or a resident of Canada to apply for a pardon. A person who has a conviction from another may also apply if the conviction was transferred to Canada under the Transfer of Offenders Act.

There are some exceptions that are ineligible for pardons. Sexual offences against a minor will appear on a person’s record for life. An individual who has four or more indictable convictions, each carrying a prison sentence of two or more years, are also ineligible for pardons.