Gender diverse offenders

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) provides all offenders, regardless of their sex or gender the same protections, dignity, and rights. This is consistent with the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA).

We apply fair and impartial decision-making methods to:

• meet the needs of gender diverse offenders
• protect them, and
• protect their rights (including their right to privacy)

CSC created the Gender Considerations Secretariat in 2020. In a changing social landscape, it supports our:

• policy development
• policy implementation
• monitoring, and
• ongoing change management

Commissioner’s Directive 100: Gender Diverse Offenders

Commissioner's Directive (CD) 100: Gender Diverse Offenders provides key policy direction and guides our work.

Working with gender diverse offenders

CSC helps offenders who identify gender-related accommodation needs. We place them in institutions aligned with their gender identity (men, woman, non-binary, etcetera) or expression, if they prefer, regardless of:

• their sex (anatomy)
• the gender or sex marker on their identity documents

CSC works with offenders to:

• develop individualized accommodation plans
• allow access to gender affirming items

Accommodation plans outline:

• the offenders’ preferred name(s)
• the offenders’ preferred pronouns, and
• the gender of staff who will complete security operational procedures (accessible only on the Government of Canada network)

Training and safety

CSC provides training, awareness and guidance to staff and offenders. This helps ensure that everyone’s health, safety and dignity is respected.

CSC reviews accommodation requests on a case-by-case basis. We consider offenders' needs and risks, as well as any health and safety concerns.

CSC places offenders in institutions that meet their:

• security requirements
• correctional programming, and
• spiritual/cultural needs

This contributes to their safe rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.

CSC research and data: Gender diverse offenders 

Recent research shows that less than 1% of CSC’s inmate population has self-disclosed gender accommodation needs.

• Case management for gender diverse offenders: What we know - Canada.ca (2024)
• Examination of gender diverse offenders - Canada.ca (2022)
• Gender diverse offenders with a history of sexual offending (2022)
• Indigenous gender diverse offenders - Canada.ca (2022)

Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan

The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, led by Women and Gender Equality Canada, aims to advance rights and improve outcomes for 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians:

• Two-Spirit
• lesbian
• gay
• bisexual
• transgender
• queer
• intersex
• + is inclusive of people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities, who use additional terminologies