Various Non-profit Organizations and government organizations that may be helpful to you.
Non-profit Organizations
Centre femmes aux 3A
The Centre femmes aux trois A (Accueil-Aide-Autonomie) is a living environment that aims to prevent criminalization and recidivism among women who have committed crimes by offering them support and guidance that enables them to reorganize their lives and regain control. (In French only)
Le Passage provides support to the loved ones of people struggling with addiction (alcohol, drugs, medication, excessive gambling, virtual reality, or any other form of addiction) as well as to the families and friends of people involved in the justice system. Le Passage also offers services to people experiencing emotional dependency and codependency. (In French only)
Éducaloi is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inform Quebeckers of their rights and obligations by providing them with high-quality legal information and educational tools written in simple and accessible language.
Info Justice is accessible legal support on a human scale available throughout the province of Québec. They offer support tailored to your needs in most areas of law. Their free consultations are offered by lawyers and notaries and are designed to support you whatever your legal dealings are. You can fill out an online form to make a service request.
Find out where you can find the centre nearest you by clicking here.
Innocence McGill is a legal clinic based at McGill University’s Faculty of Law and dedicated to researching and investigating claims of wrongful conviction for serious crimes in Quebec. Founded in 2005, we are a student-led and student-run organization with oversight by our supervising lawyers (Montreal-based criminal defense attorneys).
You can find out more about the selection criteria and submission procedure by visiting the organization’s website.
The League for Rights and Freedoms (LDL) is an independent, non-partisan organization that defends and promotes all rights proclaimed in the Declaration of Human Rights and the Canadian and Quebec Charters of Rights and Freedoms.
An entire section is dedicated to the Québec region. (In French only)
Canadian Families and Corrections Network
The organization aims to build more stable and secure living environments by offering support to families dealing with criminal behavior, incarceration, and the reintegration of a loved one into society.
Information for families and referral services (1-877-875-1285).
Relais famille
Relais famille is an organization that helps families with a loved one who is awaiting detention, in detention or being released following imprisonment. The organization offers personal support, group meetings and reflection evenings for families of prisoners.
La Société de criminologie du Québec
An interprofessional forum bringing together practitioners and researchers, volunteers, and administrators interested in advancing criminal justice. (In French only)
The Elizabeht Fry Society of Québec
Founded in 1977, The Elizabeht Fry Society of Québec helps women who find themselves facing criminal justice and who are determined to turn their lives around but are unable to do so on their own.
The Society intervenes at various stages of the legal process: in court, in prison or in halfway houses, the Society offers these women a range of support services.
The John Howard Society of Québec
The Society offers a range of services throughout Québec on various subjects related to the to criminal justice system.
Souverains Anonymes
Website of the radio program produced by inmates at the Montreal Detention Center.(In French only)
211
Service 211 is a free information and referral service that directs people to organizations and services available to the community in the Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches and Haute-Yamaska MRC regions.
To find an organization that can meet your needs, please don’t hesitate dialing 2-1-1 or visit their website.
GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Québec Ombudsman
The role of the Québec Ombudsman is to monitor and correct negligence, errors, injustices, and abuses by Québec government departments and agencies. To this end, it receives and processes complaints from individuals, corporations, or associations that fall within its jurisdiction. It may also intervene on its own initiative. The Act respecting the Québec Ombudsman gives it the powers necessary to conduct its investigations [and] it may request the review of an administrative decision or, where applicable, the review of a procedure, policy, government program, regulation, or law. It acts by way of recommendation.
The Ombudsman receives complaints from incarcerated individuals at the following number: 1-800-361-5865 (note that this number can be dialed from a correctional facility, even though it begins with 1-800).
Individuals outside the facility who wish to file a complaint with the Ombudsman can call:
Quebec : 418 643-2688
Montreal : 514-873-2030
Outside : 1-800-361-5070
Office of the Correctional Investigator
The Correctional Investigator is mandated by Part III of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act as an independent Ombudsman for individuals under the custody or supervision of the Correctional Service of Canada. The primary function of the Office is to investigate and bring resolution to individual complaints under its jurisdiction. The Office as well, has a responsibility to review and make recommendations on the Correctional Service’s policies and procedures associated with the areas of individual complaints to ensure that systemic areas of concern are identified and appropriately addressed.
Federal inmates can contact the Correctional Investigator at the following number: 1-877-885-8848 (toll free)
Commission québécoise des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse
(Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights The mission of the Commission)
The mission of the Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights is to ensure compliance with the principles set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms
Here are some links that could prove useful when applying for criminal record suspension (pardon); and to help you in case of discrimination related to your criminal record.
Steps to have a criminal record suspended – useful resources
Parole Board of Canada
Criminal Record Suspension (Pardon)
410 W. Laurier Ave.
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R1
Tool Free : 1 800 874-2652
Website : Record Suspensions
C.P. 8885
Ottawa (Ontario) K1G 3M8
Ottawa : 613 998-6362
Private Fingerprinting companies accredited by the RCMP
Forensic Identification Services
Managing Criminal Records
Courthouses Location and Justice Service Outtlets
Website: https://www.justice.gouv.qc.ca/en/join-us/find-a-courthouse
Québec Department of Public Safety (In French only)
Contact information for local police
Website : Police service directory (In French only)
Canadian Police Information Centre
Canadian Armed Forces
Criminal Records- Impacts –Help & Information
Assurances
Bureau d’assurance du Canada (BAC)
Insurances
Insurance Bureau of Canada
Curateur public
Curateur public du Québec
Public Curator
Québec’s Public Curator
Employment
Commission of Human and Youth Rights
Labour Standards, Pay Equity, Occupational Health and Safety Commission (CNESST)
Professional Assiociations (in French only)
Specialized employment assistance service for adult clients with a criminal record – List of organizations
Immigration
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Department of Immigration, Francization, and Integration (in French only)
Public Safety Canada
International Tranfer of Offenders
Website : https://www.canada.ca/en/correctional-service/services/connecting/international-transfers.html
Travelling Outside Canada
Global Affairs Canada
Québec Order of Certified Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters (OTTIAQ)
Canadian Passports
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Telephone: 514 636-3875
Tool Free: 1 877 227-5511
Website: http://www.cbp.gov
Housing
Administrative Court for Housing Matters (Tribunal administratif du logement)
Quebec Coalition for Housing Committees and Tenants Associations (RCLALQ)
Montreal: 514 521-7114
Toll Free: 1 866 521-7114
Others/Various
Québec Association of Social Rehabilitation Services (L’association des services de réhabilitation sociale du québec) (ASRSQ)
Thematic Cases- Criminal Records (All Documents in French only)
Éducaloi
Criminal records suspensions (Pardons)
Impact of a Criminal Record
Criminal Records and Other Records of Criminal Charges
Impact of Having a Youth Record
LEARN MORE – CRIMINAL RECORD
In 2019, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) estimated that more than 3.8 million Canadians had a criminal record. A criminal record is obtained as soon as a person is found guilty of a criminal offence. This includes murder and sexual assault, but also less serious crimes such as shoplifting, making threats, or impaired driving. No one is exempt. (Government of Canada, 2019).
It is not possible to have a criminal record expunged. However, it is possible to make it confidential by applying for a suspension of the criminal record, also known as a pardon. This application can be submitted 3, 5 or 10 years after the sentence has been completed. Each sentence must be calculated individually (CLCC, 2022).
In 2022-2023, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) received 16,121 applications for pardons. This is 5,000 more applications than the previous year (PBC, 2023).
A criminal record has many impacts, particularly on employability, volunteering, insurance, travel abroad and childcare (Éducaloi, n.d.).
You want to know more about the impact of a criminal record on your life? Write us for more information or to book a group workshop (all workshops are offered in French only).
Legal aid, a network at your service
Both the above organizations offer employment assistance services for adult clients involved with the justice system.
The Capitale-Nationale Region
La Jonction (In French only)
Employment assistance service for individuals with a criminal record
Tel: 418 529-5711
Getting ready for employment – Workshop | Programme Virage – for women involved in the justice system who are ready to re-enter the labour market. (In French only)
Chaudière-Appalaches
The Chaudière-Appalaches Region
RÉHAB– Job Search Assistance
Montreal Region
La Boussole – Job Search Services
Tel: 514 849-8393 ext. 1785
Via Travail (In French only)
Outaouais Region
Réhabex – Experts in social rehabilitation
Tel: 819 776-2777
Eastern Townships
OPEX Employement Centre (In French only)
Sherbrooke Office: 819 565-1866
Granby Office: 450 776-6331
Magog Office: 819 868-4133
Drummondville Office: 819-474-5381
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Marieville Office: 450 741-3217
Cowansville Office: 450 266-1866
Lanaudière / Laurentides / Montérégie
Via Travail – Opex’82 (In French only)
Tel: 514 916-3325
Laval Region
Opex’82 (In French only)
Tel: 450 975-7160
Mauricie Region
Radisson– Employement Integration Services for individuals with a criminal record (In French only)
Tel. :819 693-6777 ext. 221
Saguenay Region
Equitem Work-Study Program and other employement integration services (In French only)
Tel: 418 668-5243
Laws & Regulations
Links leading to the laws and regulations relating to the Québec Correctional System, Canada Correctional System, and criminal records
Québec Correctional System
The following laws and regulations apply to all correctional facilities in Quebec (individuals incarcerated on remand and those serving maximum sentences of two years minus one day). However, each prison has its own internal regulations. These mainly concern the operation and general life of the detention facility. These internal rules may differ from one facility to another. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Act respecting the Québec correctional system
Regulation under the Act respecting the Québec correctional system
Regulation respecting conditional release
Regulation respecting programs of activities for offenders
Canada Correctional System (Federal)
The following laws and regulations apply to all persons incarcerated in a federal penitentiary (sentences of two years or more).
Corrections and Conditional Release Act
Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations
Commissioner’s Directives
Criminal record
Please don’t hesitate contacting us if you have any questions regarding criminal recors and requests for criminal record suspension (pardons).
Criminial Records Act
Criminal Recors Regulations
Divers organismes communautaires et gouvernementaux avec qui Alter Justice travaille en partenariat.
Sa mission est de favoriser la sécurité alimentaire de la population de Bellechasse par la réponse aux besoins alimentaires, l’implication citoyenne et une participation au développement durable des communautés.
Améliorer la qualité de vie des personnes vivant ou ayant vécu une problématique de santé mentale, une période difficile ou un déséquilibre émotionnel.
C’est un lieu d’entraide favorisant le partage d’expériences et la solidarité permettant aux membres de s’impliquer et de faire connaitre leurs forces.
Le Centre femmes aux trois A (Accueil-Aide-Autonomie) est un milieu de vie qui a pour but de prévenir la judiciarisation et la récidive chez les femmes en situation de délinquance, en leur offrant un soutien et un accompagnement qui leur permet de réorganiser leur vie et d’en reprendre le contrôle.
Développer une justice équitable et accessible à tous en invitant les personnes à s’engager dans la gestion des difficultés qu’elles vivent en collectivité et en les accompagnant dans le respect de leurs droits et de leurs différences.
Horizon Emploi est un organisme sans but lucratif qui lutte contre l’exclusion par l’insertion sociale et professionnelle. L’organisme a offert un éventail de programmes et projets, et ce, en plus des activités régulières. Ces divers programmes ont aidé plus d’une centaine de chercheurs d’emplois du territoire.
Le Carrefour jeunesse-emploi Avignon-Bonaventure propose des services diversifiés aux 16-35 ans, qu’il accompagne selon une approche personnalisée et globale. Gratuits et confidentiels, ces services sont offerts par un personnel compétent et chaleureux, dans différents domaines.
Améliorer les conditions socioéconomiques de la population des MRC de Pierre-De Saurel et de Marguerite-D’Youville en offrant des services d’orientation et d’intégration en emploi, et soutenir le développement régional par l’octroi de services dédiés aux entreprises locales en besoin de main-d’œuvre.
Le CJE Option Emploi accompagne les jeunes, les adultes et les entreprises vers l’atteinte de leurs objectifs en matière d’emploi, d’orientation scolaire et professionnelle, de retour et d’établissement en région, de développement de projets en entrepreneuriat et de recrutement de main d’œuvre.
Le Centre Ex-Equo a pour mission d’aider les hommes et les femmes qui sont aux prises avec un problème de comportement violent dans un contexte conjugal et familial et d’offrir des services de toute nature en lien avec cette problématique.
