Canada

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CountryCanada
Ministry responsible
Public Safety Canada
Prison administration
Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), provincial and territorial correctional services
Contact address
340 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0PQ (CSC), provincial and territorial correctional services
Telephone
+1 613 9955364
Fax
+1 613 9470091
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Anne Kelly
Commissioner of CSC
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
35 485
average for year to 31.3.2023 (Statistics Canada - comprising 34,986 adult prisoners and 499 persons under 18 in youth custody. The figures, at the foot of this table and in the graphs, are for the 12 months ending on 31 March of the year indicated.)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
90
based on an estimated national population of 39.22 million at beginning of October 2022 (Statistics Canada)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
46.6%
(average, year to 31.3.2023)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
7.0%
(December 2021 - adults only)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
1.5%
(average, year to March 2021 - young offenders)
Number of establishments / institutions
216
(2015 - number of adult institutions, of which 43 are federal and 173 are provincial / territorial prisons)
Official capacity of prison system
38 771
(average, year to 31.3.2015 in adult institutions, of which 15,348 in federal institutions and 23,423 in provincial / territorial institutions)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
102.2%
(average, year to 31.3.2015, in adult institutions - 98.8% in federal institutions and 104.4% in provincial / territorial institutions)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2001 35,533 115
2003 35,868 114
2005 34,365 107
2007 37,452 115
2009 39,051 117
2011 39,916 117
2013 41,026 118
2015 40,663 114
2017 40,770 112
2019 38,570 104
2001 35,533 115
2003 35,868 114
2005 34,365 107
2007 37,452 115
2009 39,051 117
2011 39,916 117
2013 41,026 118
2015 40,663 114
2017 40,770 112
2019 38,570 104

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Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                 CANADA

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000/01
2005/06
2010/11
2015/16
2020/21

8,747
11,819
13,990
15,478
13,041

24.6%
33.7%
35.0%
37.6%
40.4%

28
37
41
43
34

2022/23

16,529

46.6%

42

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                   CANADA

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000/01
2005/06
2010/11
2014

2,601
2,126
4,204
2,727

7.3%
6.0%
11.0%
5.6%

8.5
6.6
12.3
7.7

2021

2,296

7.0%

6.0

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column.)

Prison population total
Prison population rate