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THUNDER BAY — Despite 50 new inmate beds now available, the two correctional facilities in the city remain at or above capacity, a trend that continues to be seen across the entire region.
The provincial government also committed to the construction of a brand new 350-bed facility expected to be completed in 2026.“The bigger facility they are building and committed to, we are probably pushing the pace of that limit in a hurry,” he said. “We are currently housing around 130 male inmates and 32 female inmates.
“We are very overcrowded at the jail,” said Bill Hayes, president of OPSEU Local 737 representing staff at the Thunder Bay District Jail. “It is making working conditions difficult and difficult to get our programming and supports for the inmates accomplished.” Issues of overcrowding are being experienced at institutions across the region, Hayes said, with communities using facilities that are too small and there not being enough staff available.
As part of the expansion at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre, the provincial government committed to hiring 26 new full-time staff, but Bradshaw said that initial commitment did not include support or recreational staff. With the new facility still three years away, Hayes said issues of overcrowding are not going to go away and it will continue to put staff and inmates at risk. Earlier this week, two inmates were injured in an assault at the District Jail.
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