Indigenous Outreach Program

In Canada, Indigenous people make up approximately 5% of the overall adult population. However, according to the Government of Canada, they represent 28% of all federally sentenced individuals and 32% of all individuals in custody. Indigenous women are particularly affected, making up 50% of all federally incarcerated women.

As a non-profit volunteer organization, Innocence Ottawa is deeply aware of the injustices faced by Indigenous communities and how these contribute to their over-representation in the prison system. To address this, we are grateful to have received a grant from the Law Foundation of Ontario to support the development of an outreach program. The Innocence Ottawa Indigenous Outreach Program aims to assist wrongly convicted Indigenous prisoners with conviction review and ensure our services are accessible to them.

So far, our outreach efforts have established meaningful connections with both incarcerated individuals and Indigenous communities. In the fall of 2024, members of Innocence Ottawa attended a pre-release fair at Warkworth Institution CSC, Bath Institution, and Millhaven Institution, and in the fall of 2025, we expanded our reach by attending fairs at Millhaven Institution, Joyceville Minimum and Medium Institution, and Collins Bay Medium and Maximum Institution. During these events, members engaged with Indigenous inmates and shared information about our services. We also distributed application forms and informational postcards about our program to those interested.

In April 2025, we coordinated with Indigenous Liaison Officers to meet with Indigenous prisoners across four institutions: Warkworth, Bath, and Collins Bay Medium and Maximum. During these visits, our members discussed the work Innocence Ottawa does, answered questions, and offered guidance to those seeking support. We also provided application forms to interested individuals and engaged in meaningful conversations about their experiences both inside and outside of prison.

In the new year, Innocence Ottawa aims to strengthen its connections within the community and continue providing dedicated support to Indigenous people. By building and maintaining these relationships, we hope to ensure that individuals who have been wrongfully convicted know they can reach out to us and trust that we will work to assist them in seeking an exoneration whenever possible.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to learn more about what we do. Community organizations interested in collaborating with us are also welcomed to get in touch!

News from Community Partners

Waseskun Healing Community - Newsletter September/October 2025