The Ontario Government plans to build a new correctional complex in Brockville, as part of a slew of changes to the justice system, Premier Doug Ford said at a news conference Monday.
The province has already taken steps to increase capacity in other jails across the province, including one in London.
“Over 110 beds brought back online in London, at the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC),” Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said.
But a London lawyer who has been fighting for inmate rights and jail reform at EMDC says the changes aren’t enough
“My understanding of the 110 beds is that it’s a tent like structure on the grounds that was a holding place for persons on weekends,” said Kevin Egan who has represented people that have served time at the jail.
“It was originally built for 150 people, and routinely they house, somewhere around 500,” Egan said
Egan added that two inquest juries into deaths at EMDC have recommended that the jail be torn down in favour of a new institution.
“The place gets filthy, it’s rife with violence, inmates are forced to live in unclean conditions and are often locked down for as much as 72 hours at a time,” Egan said.
“Our plan to protect Ontario includes cracking down on violent criminals, who are preying on the hard-working people of this province,” said Ford.
Premier Doug Ford has won a majority for the third time in a row. (credit: ontario.ca)
“We are passing new tough-on-crime legislation, hiring more judges and making targeted investments in our police services,” he said. “But we can’t do it alone.”
The Ontario government has been pushing for bail reform since late November with the introduction of the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act.
The legislation, if passed, calls for:
- Bail deposits in cash
- Potentially making parts of the sex offender and trafficker registry public
- The use of digital GPS monitoring for repeat offenders
- Investments to assist with enforcing bail compliance
- Capacity expansions at jails across the province
“We need the federal government to follow through with the promise to reform Canada’s broken bail system and keep repeat offenders behind bars,” Ford said.
Ford also says the government wants to start live streaming bail hearings straight from the courtroom.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner (Credit: X @TeamKerzner)
On top of the changes the government has been pushing for since last fall, they are urging the federal government to make changes to self-defence laws.
“Last week we wrote to the federal government asking them to legalize the use of pepper spray for self-defence,” Ford said.
Pepper spray is currently considered a prohibited weapon under Canada’s Criminal Code, while dog and bear spray can be legally carried for protection against animals.
Ford also said they are pushing the federal government to collect DNA samples from people arrested for serious sexual crimes, to speed up investigations.
“You always hear about charter this, charter that, charter rights for criminals. How about the charter rights for the victims,” Ford said.
