The new federal crime bill will cost Ontario $1 billion to beef up prisons in order to house new inmates, the province says.
Provincial prisons are already operating at 95 per cent capacity with 8,500 inmates, according to the ministry of community safety and correctional services.
The federal legislation will add another 1,500 prisoners to the system and force the province to build another prison, the ministry said after conducting a detailed analysis of the Bill C-10, which received third reading in Parliament last month.
The cost of a new prison is about $900 million and in order to run it, the province will have to fork out $60 million a year, the ministry said.
Ontario does not have the funds to pay for these changes, the ministry said.
The bill is also expected to force another 1,000 people on parole, a move that will increase the caseload burden of parole officers.
Bill C-10 will also cause more investigations and as a result, more officers will have to spend a greater amount of time in court.
Madeleine Meilleur, minister of community Safety and correctional services, said in a statement that it is “unacceptable” Ontarians are expected to bear the cost of federal anti-crime initiatives.
“We expect Ottawa to do what’s right and provide additional funding to help Ontario deal with the consequences of Bill C-10,” she said.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Tanya Talaga
Provincial prisons are already operating at 95 per cent capacity with 8,500 inmates, according to the ministry of community safety and correctional services.
The federal legislation will add another 1,500 prisoners to the system and force the province to build another prison, the ministry said after conducting a detailed analysis of the Bill C-10, which received third reading in Parliament last month.
The cost of a new prison is about $900 million and in order to run it, the province will have to fork out $60 million a year, the ministry said.
Ontario does not have the funds to pay for these changes, the ministry said.
The bill is also expected to force another 1,000 people on parole, a move that will increase the caseload burden of parole officers.
Bill C-10 will also cause more investigations and as a result, more officers will have to spend a greater amount of time in court.
Madeleine Meilleur, minister of community Safety and correctional services, said in a statement that it is “unacceptable” Ontarians are expected to bear the cost of federal anti-crime initiatives.
“We expect Ottawa to do what’s right and provide additional funding to help Ontario deal with the consequences of Bill C-10,” she said.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Tanya Talaga
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