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Ontario to Expand Jail Capacity by 2,500 Beds over 10 Years at a Cost of $3 Billion
The $3 billion plan includes 255 new beds by November and more hiring to ease overcrowding that reached 127% in 2025, officials said.
Ontario plans to add 2,500 permanent jail beds over the next 10 years with a $3 billion investment to build new and expand existing correctional facilities.
The Brantford Jail, closed in 2017, is part of the reopening plan and is expected to open by June 2028, while other facilities in Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Milton, Niagara, and Toronto will also be built or expanded.
The province will hire over 700 new correctional staff, including officers and nurses, and upgrade security measures such as body scanners and canine searches.
The investment aims to address overcrowding, improve public safety, and support tougher bail and sentencing laws, as stated by Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.