Commissioner's Directive 880
Food Services

Commissioner's Directive

Number: 880

In Effect: 2019-06-28

Related links

Policy Bulletin 641

Authorities

Purpose

To ensure that the Correctional Service of Canada provides every inmate with essential food services and reasonable access to nutrition counselling, if required

Applications

Applies to all staff and contractors involved in the provision of food services to inmates

Contents

Responsibilities

  1. The Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services, will develop Guidelines for the delivery of food services that must be followed.
  2. The Director General, Technical Services and Facilities, will:
    1. authorize the development and delivery of standardized inmate training in food services
    2. establish the monetary rates for each type of feeding system
    3. develop performance measurement tools for determining the efficacy of food services delivery.
  3. The Senior Manager, Food Services, will:
    1. establish procedures to monitor the delivery of food services to inmates
    2. monitor food services activities to ensure adherence to standards.
  4. The Regional Food Services Managers will:
    1. directly coordinate and manage all food services activities related to cook-chill
    2. ensure compliance with national policies
    3. plan and develop inmate training programs
    4. prepare reports using performance measurement tools
    5. coordinate all other food services activities within the region.
  5. The Food Services Managers in Regional Food Production Centres will:
    1. manage a cook-chill production centre
    2. direct an inmate training program
    3. ensure all food services activities comply with national policies and all performance measurement tools developed by National Headquarters Food Services are implemented.
  6. The Food Services Managers will:
    1. manage the food services operation at the institution
    2. ensure compliance with the inmate training program
    3. ensure all food services activities comply with national policies and all performance measurement tools developed by National Headquarters Food Services are implemented.

Procedures

Cost of Food

  1. The cost of the meals provided will be within monetary allowances established by National Headquarters on an annual basis.

Nutritional Requirements of the Inmate Population

  1. Meals are a critical factor in creating a healthy penitentiary environment and healthier inmates.
  2. Changes in food quality/quantity or withdrawal of food will not be used as a form of punishment.
  3. The meals provided to the inmate population will meet the minimum nutritional standards for Canadians as outlined in Canada’s Food Guides.

Nutrition Counselling

  1. Nutrition counselling will be provided to inmates, as required, to meet their therapeutic regimes in response to a clear and well-defined diagnosis.

Special Diets

  1. With regard to special diets, the following table outlines the approval authority required:
Special Diet Approval Authority
Therapeutic Physician/regional Dietitian*
Conscience Institutional Head or delegated authority
Food allergies Physician**
Religious Institutional Chaplain

*    In response to a clear and defined diagnosis pursuant to GL 880-2 – Nutrition Management Program.

**  In the case of food allergies, approval will be made following bona fide allergy testing or medical assessment pursuant to Annex E of GL 880-2 – Nutrition Management Program.

Food Safety

  1. All activities required for ordering, storage, preparation and service of food and disposal of waste will meet the food safety standards as outlined in the Food Safety Code of Practice for Canada’s Foodservice Industry.

Inmate Employment and Training

  1. Meaningful employment and training opportunities in the food services area will be provided to inmates wherever feasible and appropriate.

Commissioner,

 

Original signed by:

Anne Kelly


Annex A - Cross-References and Definitions

Cross-References

GL 750-1 – Inmate Religious Accommodations
GL 880-1 – Food Services Program
GL 880-2 – Nutrition Management Program
GL 880-3 – Religious Diets
GL 880-4 – Diets of Conscience

Canada’s Food Guide
Canada’s Food Guide – First Nations, Inuit and Métis
Food Safety Code of Practice for Canada’s Foodservice Industry
Official Languages Act

Definitions

Contractor: a person providing services of a prescribed class to the Correctional Service of Canada under a contract.

Cook-chill: food preservation method in which food is prepared, cooked, and then chilled to 1°C in a central kitchen.

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