Bill C-221 Information Disclosure to Victims
Bill C-221 An Act to Amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (Disclosure of Information to Victims)
Bill Type: Private Member’s Bill
Bill Sponsor: Mel Arnold (Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies)
Status: At report stage in the House of Commons
Latest activity: Committee report presented on Friday, September 25, 2026 (House of Commons)
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WHO GAINS POWER
- Victims gain the right to receive an explanation of how an offender’s disclosed eligibility, review and release dates were determined — not just the dates themselves
- Victims can better understand and anticipate the parole and release process, reducing the shock of unexpected release notifications
WHO LOSES POWER
- Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board lose the ability to disclose release dates without explanation — they must now explain the calculation behind every eligibility and review date shared with victims
WHO GAINS MONEY
- No financial provisions in this Bill
WHO LOSES MONEY
- No financial provisions in this Bill
THE CATCH
- ⚠️ "Explanation" is not defined — the Bill does not specify how detailed the explanation must be, what format it takes or whether it must be in plain language. The quality of disclosure is left entirely to the discretion of Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board
- ⚠️ The Bill adds explanations to information disclosed under the existing victim-information provisions. It does not create a new automatic notification system
- ⚠️ No enforcement mechanism is included — if Correctional Service Canada fails to provide an adequate explanation, there is no remedy or complaint process written into this Bill
- ⚠️ The disclosure changes take effect alongside specified provisions of the Protecting Victims Act, 2026 — on the first anniversary of C-221 receiving Royal Assent or an earlier date set by Government Order