How much does a pardon cost in Canada?
Updated Dec 21, 2021
As of January 1, 2022, the cost of applying for a record suspension will be $50, reduced from the current cost of $657.77. However, this is just the last expense owed to the Parole Board of Canada once the pardon application is ready to submit. There are expenses other than the application cost to consider, such as fees for court documents and a criminal record check. The Canadian government has steadily increased the basic application fee over the years. At one time, it was a mere $50 out of the recognition that everyone in society benefits when people are able to reintegrate into society. Then the fee was raised to $150, quadrupled to $657.77, and recently lowered to $50.
The $657.77 is the cost to submit your application only. In order to complete the application from start to finish, you will have to provide a number of supporting documents. Those include criminal records from different agencies in multiple cities. You may also have to provide copies of your court documents and immigration records. In general, you must pay a per-document fee for each.You must also be fingerprinted as part of the process. This is another step that will cost money, and it is essential for your record suspension application to be considered complete from the perspective of the Parole Board of Canada.Since a criminal record creates many barriers for you to live your life fully, you may simply choose to go ahead with the Canadian pardon application. But, you do not have to do it alone. You can get help with all aspects of the record suspension process. As you can see, it can become a costly and lengthy proposition when applying for a pardon. It's crucial to make sure you're following all the right steps to receiving one as smoothly as possible.