Ontario to Add 2,500 Jail Beds for $3 Billion

TORONTO Ontario's solicitor general, Michael Kerzner, announced plans Tuesday to expand the province's jail system by 2,500 beds over the next decade at a cost of $3 billion to taxpayers.

The initiative addresses severe overcrowding in provincial jails, where recent data obtained through freedom-of-information requests show facilities operating at an average capacity of 127 percent for 2025. Kerzner outlined a multi-pronged approach that includes building new jails, expanding existing ones and reopening several facilities that had previously closed. To meet immediate needs, the province aims to add 255 jail beds by November 2026 and hire 700 new correctional officers.

Kerzner emphasized cost-saving measures in construction, such as using modular components for some jails and tensile structures for others. These methods are intended to accelerate development while controlling expenses on the ambitious project.

Documents obtained by The Canadian Press reveal even broader long-term ambitions, with the province targeting nearly 6,000 additional jail beds by 2050. The total cost for this extended expansion remains undetermined.

Provincial jail overcrowding has been a persistent issue,...