Citizen Advisory Committees

Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs) contribute positively to the correctional process by interacting with staff of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), the public and offenders, and providing impartial advice and recommendations to CSC.

Citizen Advisory Committees and Volunteers are vital to the proper functioning of the Correctional Service of Canada.

Close to 500 citizens participate in 100 Citizen Advisory Committees across Canada. Members represent various social, cultural, and demographic backgrounds and occupations, and usually live close to the facility that the committee serves. Members are volunteers who are appointed for a period of two years, by the director, warden or parole representative of the CSC.

A Thank You Message from the Commissioner

On behalf of Correctional Service of Canada, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) members, for your work in helping us advance our correctional agenda and deliver public safety results for Canadians.

This year is a very special year for CSC and CACs for several reasons: 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of our National Volunteer Association, the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers as well as the 10th annual Taylor Award.

Every day across Canada, as CAC volunteer members, you help guide CSC in our efforts to create safer institutions, and contribute to public safety.

As informed participants in the correctional process, you hold up a mirror between our communities and our facilities. That is, you are charged with not only representing the views of the communities in which we operate, but also in representing CSC’s mandate and values to the community.

As such, CSC benefits two-fold from the participation of CACs in our daily work. We benefit from your objective and impartial advice about our work with offenders, and we also benefit from your work as ambassadors for the organization in the community.

We sincerely appreciate the value of your contributions, and see the real results of your efforts reflected in the improvements you make to the lives of offenders, and in communities across the country.

Don Head
Commissioner