What is a pardon?
A pardon allows people who were convicted of a criminal offence, but have completed their sentence and demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens for a prescribed number of years, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records.
If you are granted a pardon, any federal agency that has records of convictions must keep those records separate and apart from other criminal records. The information will be removed from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system. You can apply to the National Parole Board for a pardon if you have been free of convictions for three years for summary offences or five years for indictable offences.
Upon notification by the National Parole Board that a person has been granted a pardon, the South Simcoe Police will seal the fingerprints and photo-images of that person.
Please note that a pardon may be revoked by the National Parole Board. When notified of a revocation, the South Simcoe Police will unseal the fingerprints and photo-images and flag the revocation in the Records Management System.
How to Apply for a Pardon:
The National Parole Board publishes a Pardon Application Guide which thoroughly explains the process and includes all forms you will require. You can obtain an application guide by attending our North or South Division locations during the hours specified below. There are private companies who offer their assistance in obtaining pardons for individuals (for a fee), but the process is reasonably easy and designed to allow individuals to apply on their own. The booklet is available on the National Parole Board web site at http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca
Local Police Records Check:
The pardon process requires that you obtain a Local Police Records Check from any and all police agencies having jurisdiction of an address where you resided within the past five years. The booklet contains the Local Police Records Check form which you must provide to us.
