Food Services

POLICY OBJECTIVES

1. Provide direction for the delivery of quality food services to the institutions of the Correctional Service of Canada and set guidelines for the contribution of Food Services to institutional programs and activities.

AUTHORITIES

2. Subsection 83 (1) and paragraphs 83 (2)(a) and 101(c) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations.
3. Treasury Board Manual on Occupational Safety and Health, Chapter 2-18.

CROSS-REFERENCE

4. Religious Diets: General Guidelines.

RESPONSIBILITIES

5. The Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services shall:
   1. set the overall policy direction for the delivery of food services; and
   2. monitor Food Services activities to ensure adherence to standards.
6. The Assistant Warden, Management Services shall provide general direction for the delivery of food services as part of the overall provision of technical services.
7. The Food Services Chief, Manager or Food Program Co-ordinator shall directly coordinate and manage all food services activities.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

8. Meals are a critical factor in creating a healthy penitentiary environment.
9. Food or changes in food quality shall not be used as a form of punishment.
10. The meals provided to the inmate population shall meet the appropriate nutrition standards.
11. The cost of the meals provided shall be within allotments set by the region and/or institution.
12. With regard to religious diets, inmates who need to follow a specific diet to meet the requirements of their faith shall be provided with the appropriate diet. The religious diets shall be approved by the institutional Chaplain.
13. With regard to therapeutic (medical) diets, an appropriate diet shall be provided to inmates who need a therapeutic diet as part of a treatment regimen approved by the institution's Health Services in response to a clear and defined diagnosis.
14. All activities required for ordering, storage, preparation and service of food and disposal of waste shall meet the hygiene and sanitation standards for the Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association.
15. Meaningful employment in the Food Services area shall be provided to inmates wherever feasible and appropriate.

IMPLEMENTATION

16. The implementation of this directive shall be detailed in the two following Standard Operating Practices:
    1. Standard Operating Practices 880-1 on Central Feeding for institutions where meals are prepared in a central institutional kitchen and delivered to inmates in a common dining room or on the ranges through the use of carts;
    2. Standard Operating Practices 880-2 on Small Group Meal Preparation for institutions where inmates housed in independent living units prepare their own meals.

Commissioner,

Original signed by
Ole Ingstrup