It’s being hailed as a landmark investment in corrections in northwestern Ontario.
The province is spending $1.2 billion to build a new state-of-the-art Correctional Complex in Thunder Bay
Construction is scheduled to start this fall and be completed by fall 2026.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones says, “We are making exciting progress on building a modern correctional system that supports public safety, meets the care and programming needs of those in custody, and ensures healthy and well-resourced work environments for our frontline corrections staff to do their jobs safely.”
In addition, the government is investing $96 million to expand the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre and Kenora Jail.
A $5 million incentive and bonus program to attract and retain correctional officers in the north has also been introduced.
The initiative will provide between $4,000 and $15,000 in supports for new candidates working at select adult institutions.
Exisiting and new employees who transfer to select locations, can also claim relocation expenses of up to $5,000 per year up to three years for service at specific probation and parole offices and correctional facilities in the North.
Ontario Public Service Employees Union spokesperson Bill Hayes says the funding is welcome.
“We started pushing hard last year to really get the staffing push on and get hiring because it takes awhile to train staff, to gain the interest to train the staff and then to get them out in the field. So we know it would be a struggle to open on the timeframe’s that they wanted to.”
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford says, “These projects will benefit our communities not only by creating better correctional facilities but by creating hundreds of good-paying jobs in construction and frontline correctional services while boosting our local economy.”
(With files from Tim Davidson)
