Ontario corrections minister Yasir Naqvi tours Thunder Bay jail
Yasir Naqvi was in Thunder Bay to meet with corrections staff and tour facilities
The minister responsible for corrections in Ontario says the system needs to be transformed.
Yasir Naqvi met with reporters in Thunder Bay Wednesday morning before touring the nearly 100-year-old Thunder Bay District Jail.
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Naqvi was blunt when he shared what he's learned since taking over as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
"The status quo can not continue,' he said. "We really need to focus on ensuring that we're putting more emphasis on providing better supports for rehabilitation for inmates and reintegration," he said.
"That's the kind of system we need to build because .... that saves money in the long run, but it also, most importantly, enhances public safety," he added, noting that in the past 10 years, more people with mental health and addictions issues are being incarcerated.
Naqvi added that his first objective is ensuring safety in the province's facilities for staff and inmates, after a deal was reached with corrections officers.
The province is in the process of hiring additional staff in corrections, along with more probation and parole officers, he said.
Naqvi could not say how many of the new hires are slated to work in Thunder Bay.
No commitment to a new jail
Union officials representing corrections staff in the city have called on the government to build a replacement for the district jail in Thunder Bay, arguing that the existing facility on MacDougall Street is not safe. The jail also suffered damage during a hostage-taking in December.
Naqvi would not commit to a new facility when speaking to media on Wednesday, even though he acknowledged local MPPs Michael Gravelle and Bill Mauro, along with Thunder Bay mayor Keith Hobbs, have all advocated for one.
"I'm not going to speculate on that, because I'm not in a position to do that," Naqvi said, referring to when a new jail could be built.
"I'll be very frank with you, where it starts is by listening to all the people involved in providing the services and coming down locally, and that's exactly what I'm doing today," said Naqvi.
The minister was also slated to tour the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre as well as local probation and parole offices.