Statutory Release

It is important to know the difference between parole and statutory release. Parole is a discretionary type of conditional release, which means that National Parole Board members evaluate the risk an offender poses to the community before they release him or her.

Statutory Release is the release of an offender after he or she has completed two-thirds of his or her sentence. Depending on the case, there may or may not be conditions imposed on that release. Most inmates are entitled under the law to serve the last one-third of their sentence out of jail if full parole has not already been granted. Offenders serving a life or indeterminate sentence are not eligible for statutory release and may only be released on parole. Probation orders following statutory release for provincial offenders are supervised by the British Columbia Corrections Branch.

The Correctional Service of Canada does have the authority to refer statutory release cases of offenders in federal custody to the National Parole Board if, in their opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the offender is likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm to another person, a sexual offence involving a child, or a serious drug offence while on parole before the end of their sentence. These offenders may be kept in prison until the end of their sentence.

Learn More About

• Pardons
• Parole Hearings and Victims
• Attending a Parole Hearing