The process of being granted a pardon – now known as record suspension – in Canada is a difficult and complex one. We’ve worked in the criminal court system for almost 20 years and we have seen it all. The key is to be honest, do your research, fill in all parts of the application properly and make sure your explanations are precise, and use the right language.
It can take anywhere from six months to 18 months to get a pardon once you apply. Any errors could delay the process for months. There is no one who can make the process faster, so make sure you do your research if you are using a company to help with your application. Lawyers cannot make it go faster. Look for someone that charges a flat fee and doesn’t charge you extras for phone calls, photocopies, disbursements, etc.
Step one: do your research. Look at cases similar to yours to see if they were eligible. You can do this by Google searching using your offence because there are some open records. This takes time and no two cases are exactly alike.
Step two: look at your eligibility. Has enough time passed, do you have evidence to support you are an upstanding citizen, have you completed all of your sentence and made any restitution?
Step three: download the 22-page government application form.
Step four: figure out which forms you need. For example: get your police records check for each address – typically about $40 dollars each and can take up-to three months to process. If you’ve lived in different regions you will have to request these all from each region’s police departments. Plus, you need electronic fingerprinting and there is a fee associated with the process and there is a fee you pay directly to the Parole Board of Canada.
If you get your criminal record from the RCMP – ensure everything is on there. You don’t want to get a pardon and then have it rescinded. Your proof of conviction includes the offence that you were convicted for, the sentence and the date and court you were convicted. If you’ve ever used any aliases. If you were sentenced in different courts for different offences you may need to contact each one. If you are military you also need a certified, signed and dated military conduct sheet and military ID and service number.
Once you are fingerprinted (electronically), that information is sent to the RCMP directly from an accredited fingerprinting agency (we have a full list of accredited, fingerprinting agencies – please contact us) so all you need to do is look for an envelope from the address listed below:
Civil Fingerprint Screening Services
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
P.O. Box 8885
Ottawa ON K1G 3M8
(613) 998-6362
Step five: double check all of your paperwork (and keep copies) – one slight error may mean a longer wait. Even changing an address on the forms can have implications.
Step six: send your application and Parole Board fee to:
Clemency and Pardons Division
National Parole Board
410 Laurier Avenue West, 5th Floor
Ottawa ON K1A 0R1
Feeling overwhelmed? We offer a free consultation to discuss your eligibility and explain the process and likelihood of the outcome and we charge a flat fee, with no surprises, if we take your case. Contact us, you have nothing to lose.