New Brunswick's next jail goes to Minto

After months of speculation and controversy over the location of a new $42 million jail, the New Brunswick government has selected a site for it — Minto, in the newly formed community of Grand Lake.

Public Safety Minister Kris Austin said in an interview that the decision to place the new jail in Grand Lake, which is also Austin's riding, came from a Department of Transportation and Infrastructure assessment that placed Grand Lake at the top out of nine or so proposals from other communities.

A news release Monday from the province said the property, which is provincially owned, exceeds the minimum 8.8 hectares required and there are few residential properties in the immediate surrounding area. It also meets the requirement that the jail be no more than a 60-minute drive from Fredericton. 

Austin said Public Safety gave the Transportation and Infrastructure Department several requirements for the new site, including water, sewer, whether the land is provincially owned, and land and soil quality.

The location originally chosen for the jail was near Fredericton's Vanier Industrial Park on the south side of the city. Although city council approved rezoning to make way for the jail, the province changed its mind about the site, citing pushback from some community members.

The government said it would seek a location outside the city "to minimize any perceived impact upon residents."

Austin said he isn't concerned about any possible pushback from Minto residents because he believes it is a better suited location than the Fredericton site.

He also said there are some benefits to having the location in Minto rather than Fredericton.

"Fredericton, you know, has a lot happening as an urban area," Austin said. "And I think there's greater benefit to a smaller community ... to be able to benefit from some of the spinoffs of having a correctional facility here."

Public Safety also looked at factors that Austin said wouldn't have been included in the other department's assessment. He said there is a health clinic in near the site and other nearby services for people who work there and for visitors. 

Grand Lake Mayor Kevin Nicklin said he is excited for the spinoffs from the new jail, and the jobs it will create.

Nicklin said he's going to hold a town hall meeting to explain the decision to everyone and listen to questions and concerns from residents.

Several communities, including Grand Lake, Arcadia, which includes the village of Gagetown, and Nackawic-Millville, expressed interest in having the jail in their municipalities.

Nackawic-Millville Mayor Tim Fox said in an emailed statement that the community "presented what we believed to be the best business case for the location of this facility, so while there is disappointment, we respect the decision that Government has made and congratulate Grand Lake on being chosen as the location."

Jacques LeBlanc, the public safety critic for the Opposition Liberals, said he questions the decision and how it was made.

"Now it's being in a minister's — the minister of public safety of all ministers — it's in his backyard, where it's a 60-minute drive from the downtown courthouse to the Minto Industrial Park," said LeBlanc.

Austin said he's thrilled the jail will be in his riding, his objective from the start was to be as hands-off as possible to let the process take place.

He said the department is following through with the Transportation and Infrastructure's recommendations and he doesn't think it is fair that Minto would be at a disadvantage because of his positions as MLA and Minister.

LeBlanc said he will be looking for more detailed information from the government on how the final location was chosen. 

He said there were likely options closer to the Fredericton courthouse.

LeBlanc also questioned the timing of the announcement since the Legislative Assembly is out for the summer and the opposition isn't able to ask questions in the legislature.

He said his team will be making some right-to-information requests to see what the process and timelines looked like for the decision. 

The province has said a new jail is needed because of pressure on existing jails, but it has not released any data supporting its case.

Austin said he doesn't foresee any additional costs from the estimated $42 million because of the change to the Minto site from Fredericton, but inflation may change things.  

The release from the province says a request for proposals for the jail's design has been filed. Austin said he anticipates groundwork will begin in the fall, with the construction of the building likely to start in the spring.

"I've made it clear as the minister of the department that I want this project done as quickly as possible, because again, we still have these capacity issues in our other correctional facilities," said Austin.