Parole
Last updated on April 28, 2026Learn how parole works, who supervises people on parole, and who makes parole decisions.
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Parole
Parole is a type of conditional release. It gives you the opportunity to serve part of your sentence in the community, under supervision and under certain conditions.
All individuals must be considered for a conditional release when being held in a correctional centre.
Correctional Service of Canada's role
The Correctional Service of Canada is responsible for supervising provincial offenders (serving sentences in a provincial correctional centre) and federal offenders (serving sentences in a federal correctional centre) while they are on parole.
Parole Board of Canada's role
The Parole Board of Canada decides whether provincial and federal offenders should be released on parole.
For more information
See Purpose of parole.
Conditional release
A conditional release is when you are released from custody to serve part of your sentence in the community, under supervision and under certain conditions.
A conditional release does not mean your sentence is shortened. It allows you to be released from custody for such things as:
- Participating in community service work
- Receiving counselling or medical treatment
- Serving the remainder of your sentence in the community, under supervision
Conditional releases include day or full parole, temporary absence or statutory release. To learn more, visit the Government of Canada's Types of conditional release page.
Parole Board of Canada's role
The Parole Board of Canada decides whether you will be granted a conditional release. An exception is statutory release. Under most circumstances, statutory release is automatically granted after you have served two-thirds of your sentence. The board’s main consideration is the protection of the public.