Ontario Building More Capacity in Provincial Jails

The Ontario government is adding more beds to several adult correctional facilities, marking an important milestone in the province’s plan to ensure safety and sufficient jail capacity in both the short- and long-term.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is ensuring the sustainability of the correctional system,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “We’re expanding and building facilities that will help frontline staff to do their jobs safely and effectively while increasing capacity to keep violent and repeat offenders off our streets.”

In the short term, the government is repurposing and re-opening the Regional Intermittent Centre at Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London and the Toronto Intermittent Centre at the Toronto South Detention Centre, adding up to 430 new beds by 2026 to accommodate minimum- and medium-risk inmates.

The province is also increasing the number of beds over the longer term at the following correctional facilities:

• Adding 18 new beds at the Quinte Detention Centre bringing the institution’s capacity to over 300 beds.
• More than doubling capacity at the new Brockville Correctional Complex by adding 184 new beds.

Increasing jail capacity will be supported by the hiring of up to 200 additional correctional staff which could include nurses, correctional officers and support staff.

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