If you are charged for theft, there are many outcomes in court regarding the criminal record. If it is a theft under $5000 conviction then its a summary offence and the waiting period to get a pardon is five years from the end of your punishment. If it is a theft over $5000 then its an indictable offence and the waiting period to get a pardon or record suspension is ten years from the end of your punishment.
Sometime, if it is a first offence the theft charge can be withdrawn, stayed, dismissed or discharged. You were likely fingerprinted for the offence so you will need a file destruction to remove the prints from the local police database and RCMP files.
Theft is among the most common criminal offences in Canada and once convicted, your criminal record will show up on criminal background checks which can prevent you from getting employment or traveling to the US.
The thank you letter below is from an individual we helped to remove a theft conviction from over five years ago. You can see the relief both emotionally and psychologically once the criminal record is removed.
