The need for a new Thunder Bay Jail is not lost on Ontario’s Ombudsman.
In his annual report Paul Dube indicated a recent visit to the jail is something he will not soon forget saying “It was really troubling, I have to say I was shaken when I left that visit at Thunder Bay jail.”
The provincial government has already committed to building a new facility on Highway 61 indicating requests for proposals will be issued in the winter of 2021 and the Ombudsman wants to be kept in the loop.
“They’re working on building a new jail but we remind them that time is of the essence and they keep us up to date with developments and how the plan is moving forward,” notes Dube.
The Ombusman adds they also dealt with a record number 6,000 complaints about Ontario’s correctional facilities.