CORCAN Advisory Board

We know that our country is stronger and our government more effective when decision makers reflect Canada's diversity. Moving forward, the Government of Canada will use an appointment process that is transparent and merit-based, strives for gender parity, and ensures that Indigenous Canadians and minority groups are properly represented in positions of leadership. We will continue to search for Canadians who reflect the values that we all embrace: inclusion, honesty, fiscal prudence, and generosity of spirit. Together, we will build a government as diverse as Canada.

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) is the federal government agency responsible for administering sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the courts. CSC is responsible for managing institutions of various security levels and supervising offenders under conditional release in the community. As part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, CSC contributes to public safety by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.

CSC's corporate priorities stem from its mission, legislative framework and risk profile. They provide specific focus for the organization's direction, programs and initiatives. CSC has six priorities, which are all equally important.

• Safe management of eligible offenders during their transition from the institution to the community, and while on supervision.
• Safety and security of the public, victims, staff and offenders in institutions and in the community.
• Effective, culturally appropriate interventions and reintegration support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders.
• Effective and timely interventions in addressing mental health needs of offenders.
• Efficient and effective management practices that reflect values-based leadership in a changing environment.
• Productive relationships with diverse partners, stakeholders, victims' groups, and others involved in support of public safety.

CORCAN is a special operating agency within CSC and is responsible for the employment and employability of federal offenders. CORCAN provides on-the-job training, apprenticeship hours, vocational certifications and soft skills training to CSC offenders during their incarceration and while under community supervision. CORCAN supports offenders on conditional release through employment support services, ongoing employment skills training and transitional employment opportunities.

In addition to program and support services, CORCAN has five business lines:

• manufacturing
• textiles
• construction
• services (i.e. vehicle refurbishment, printing and laundry)
• agriculture

The CORCAN Advisory Board was established pursuant to the creation of CORCAN as a Special Operating Agency in 1992. CORCAN's Advisory Board is appointed by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness as legislated through Section 108 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations (CCRR). The Advisory Board provides advice to the CORCAN Executive Management Committee on a broad range of issues including offender vocational training, employment opportunities, business activities, and partnerships with private sector and non-governmental orgranizations. The Advisory Board also supports CORCAN by advising senior management on the best way to position CORCAN given the current economic climate while also promoting the value of CORCAN to Canadian citizens.

The Advisory Board is comprised of prominent citizens from a variety of sectors that can represent a diverse range of expertise and knowledge to positively support the Correctional Service of Canada's Employment and Employability Program. This could include representatives from all levels of government, employment programs, business, labour, acedemia, and non-profit organizations. Board members are appointed in an advisory capacity only and are not expected to have any active part in the decision making process involving CORCAN operations.

The CORCAN Advisory Board is a necessary and important part of CSC's mandate to meet the needs of our diverse offender population and contribute to public safety results.

The Advisory Board will focus on discussing a variety of topics related to CORCAN, including:

• Offender employment and employability program
• CORCAN business line strategy to build relevant technical and transferable offender employment skills
• Partnership and communications
• Sales and marketing
• Human resources recruitment and retention
• Procurement and contracting

The board will be composed of not more than 12 members, including ex officio members that collectively represent a broad base of experience and knowledge related to supporting employment programming and business models.

As previous board members' terms have expired, it is anticipated that appointments will be made in the near future to support us in fulfilling our mandate and provide non-binding recommendations and advice to CORCAN. In the interim, CORCAN engages on a regular basis with a variety of other CSC stakeholder committees as well as the CORCAN Farm Advisory Panel.

Contact information

Inquiries can be made:

By email: kelly.hartle@csc-scc.gc.ca

By mail:
Kelly Hartle, CEO, CORCAN
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P9