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Commissioner's Directive
Number - Numéro: |
Date: |
Inmate's Canteen
Issued under the authority of the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada |
1. To allow inmates to purchase items sold through a canteen operation, which is run according to generally accepted business practice and, to the fullest extent possible, by inmates.
2. Corrections and Conditional Release Act, section 97.
3. Commissioner's Directive 860, entitled "Inmate's Money",
Commissioner's Directive 090, entitled "Personal Property of Inmates".
4. The maximum allowable amount for canteen purchases, including perishable items and canteen-like items purchased through clubs/groups, shall not exceed $90 per pay period. Canteen items shall be purchased with funds from the inmate's current account.
5. The Executive Committee shall approve any change to the annual limit for Holiday Canteen purchases by October 15. Otherwise, the limit in place for the previous year shall apply. The amount for Holiday Canteen purchases shall be spent between November 1st and December 31st and includes taxes. However, the institutional head may allow inmates whose equivalent major holiday occurs at another time in the year to purchase a Holiday Canteen for the same amount approved as per this paragraph; items for this Holiday Canteen shall be purchased in accordance with paragraphs 7 and 8 of this directive.
6. The profit margin shall be set at 10 per cent, subject to amendment in accordance with paragraph 8 d.
7. The Regional Deputy Commissioner shall establish a regional list of categories of products to be sold in canteens and a maximum number of items in each category that shall be carried at any one time. The list could be revised once a year.
8. The institutional head shall specify:
- canteen items for sale in accordance with the regional list;
- sales prices of canteen items;
- the circumstances under which a canteen advance against inmate pay/allowances will be granted, the maximum amount of advances and a mechanism for reimbursement of advances;
- on agreement with the Inmate Committee, any profit margin less than 10 per cent;
- credit of canteen profits and debit of losses.
- the list of items available for the Holiday Canteen.
9. Normally, public funds shall be used to purchase canteen stock. The institutional head shall establish a mechanism for recuperating public funds from canteen sales.
10. Where an institution wishes to fund canteen purchases from the Inmate Welfare Fund, the Inmate Committee, institutional management and the Regional Deputy Commissioner shall make a recommendation to this end to the Commissioner. On receipt of such a recommendation, approval will be sought from the Treasury Board to establish a plan whereby the Inmate Committee at that site will buy, over time, the entire canteen stock.
11. An inventory of canteen stock shall be made at least once a month and every time the inmate canteen operator changes. The inventory should be kept at the lowest level possible.
12. Where shortages in canteen stock warehoused by the Service occur, an investigation shall be undertaken. If the investigation determines that one or more inmates are responsible for the shortage, reimbursement of the shortage shall be made from canteen profits until the shortfall is made up. Any person found responsible for canteen stock shortages may be charged. If the investigation does not determine the cause of the loss, reimbursement shall be from public funds. The institutional head is authorized to place the canteen in trusteeship until the value of the missing stock has been recovered.
13. The Regional Deputy Commissioner shall ensure that appropriate procedures are established to regulate and control inmate canteen operations, including the appropriate storage of sales receipts and records.
14. The institutional head shall ensure that the position of Inmate Canteen Operator is included in the employment program and that a written job description exists.
15. Access to the canteen operations shall be restricted to the Inmate Canteen Operator or other authorized persons.
16. Only minimal personal information shall be provided to the Inmate Canteen Operator and he or she shall be advised of the requirements of the Privacy Act in accordance with the requirements contained in Commissioner's Directive 730, "Inmate Program Assignment and Payments".
Original signed by
Ole Ingstrup, Commissioner
