The Government of Canada has made record suspensions (formerly known as “pardons”) more affordable by significantly reducing the application fee starting January 1, 2022. The cost of applying for a record suspension is now $50, reduced from $657.77.
The impact of Lift the Burden, a public awareness project sponsored by AllCleared (formerly Pardon Services Canada), has helped foster reintegration by removing some of the legal, economic and social barriers and stigma associated with a criminal record. Our petition has helped significantly lower the fee and will improve access to record suspensions, especially for people with lower incomes. Established in 1989, AllCleared is Canada’s first assistance provider to those in need of a record suspension or entry waivers into the US and Canada. AllCleared sponsored Lift the Burden in a campaign to help erase the stigma of a past criminal record and advocate for legislative amendments to make record suspensions (formerly called pardons) fair, affordable and accessible to all Canadians. Under the leadership of CEO Azmairnin Jadavji, the firm has played a vocal role in criticizing the last 15 years of legislative changes to the pardons and record suspension system, as seen on CTV, CBC, Global News, and other news outlets.
“1 in 8 Canadians has a criminal record—that’s over 4 million people with typically minor offences whose opportunities to work, travel and volunteer are limited. We believe that a record suspension is the last—but crucial—step in a fair and smart justice system. That’s why we’re working to help lift the burden of these deserving Canadians by advocating for timely and affordable access to record suspensions.”
– Azmairnin Jadavji, CEO, AllCleared
Through Lift the Burden, Mr. Jadavji and the AllCleared team have and continue to raise awareness of the plight that thousands of Canadians are going through, especially those that are being priced out of the opportunity of a record suspension. They see ordinary, hardworking Canadians suffer from legislative changes that paint over 4 million Canadians who have a record, with the same brush.
A record suspension, formerly known as a pardon, “seals” a person’s criminal record preventing it from being disclosed on most police record checks. The record suspension system in Canada is still inaccessible to those who need it the most. Eligibility restrictions and wait periods that can be over a decade and a complex bureaucratic process discourages and disqualifies many people from even applying. The eligibility wait times after completing sentencing have risen from 3 years for summary and 5 years for indictable offences, to 5 years and 10 years, respectively. That’s a double of the wait time for ordinary individuals, with the effects being seen across Canada every day. A 19 year old with a DUI may not have a chance at a job until they’re 24. With marijuana possession, that young person may not see their burden lifted until they’re into their 30s. For many, that relief may not come until it’s too late. We believe Canadians deserve these rules to be rolled back.
The significantly lower fee will improve access to record suspensions, especially for people with lower incomes. Obtaining a record suspension helps to remove the stigma of a criminal record so that people can access housing, employment, education and volunteer opportunities, which are key to their safe and successful reintegration as productive members of society. In this way, record suspensions improve public safety through reduced re-offending and victimization.
By joining us at www.lifttheburden.ca, and signing our petition, you can set us on our way to working with leaders to advocate for real changes to the record suspensions and pardons system. With each signature, tweet, and share, you’re helping to build the momentum towards giving millions of Canadians the relief they need to be active citizens.