Marijuana became legal Canada-wide on October 17, 2018. Accordingly, the Canadian government pledged to waive the standard application fee of $631.00 for a Record Suspension.

The government additionally is abandoning the standard waiting period (5 years for a summary conviction & 10 years for an indictable conviction), making it easier and accessible for past convicts to suspend their marijuana related criminal record.

At Howard C. Cohen & Associates we are able to assist you with these applications.

What is a Record Suspension?

Under the Canadian Records Act (CRA), the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) is the official and only federal agency responsible for ordering, denying & revoking records of suspension upon another conviction.

The suspension of record by the PBC applies to all records kept ONLY by the federal organizations and is binding upon most provincial and municipal justice agencies.

A record suspension allows convicts who have completed their sentence and demonstrated that they are law-abiding citizens, for a prescribed number of years, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records.

It is important to understand that a record suspension:

• DOES NOT ERASE a convicted offence, but rather, sets it aside;
• DOES NOT GUARANTEE entry or visa privileges to another country;
• IS FLAGGED in CPIC for former sexual offenders.

Who Can Apply for a Record Suspension?

• An individual who was convicted of an offence, in Canada, under a Canadian Federal Act or Regulation; or,
• An individual who was convicted of an offence in another country and transferred to Canada.

If you’re interested in discussing your options, whether it be for suspending a marijuana related conviction or other conviction, contact us at Howard C. Cohen & Associates so that we may assist you to determine your eligibility and start the Record Suspension process for you.