BROCKVILLE -- The Ontario Government plans to build new correctional complexes in Kemptville and Brockville, and renovate the aging Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre.

During a visit to Brockville on Thursday, Premier Doug Ford announced details of the "Eastern Region Strategy" as part of Ontario's $500 million plan to modernize correctional facilities.

The strategy for the region includes:

  • Building a new Greater Ottawa Correctional Complex on an existing government-owned site in Kemptville to improve staff and inmate safety
  • Replacing the Brockville Jail, which was built in 1842, with a new facility that will increase capacity and improve access to services and programming in the area. It will be built on the grounds of the current St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre.
  • Renovate the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre to better accommodate programming for inmates and other initiatives.

According to the Ontario Government, the Greater Ottawa Correctional Complex in Kemptville will adopt modern planning principles and design elements, including single cell occupancy, risk-classified housing units, modern programming and improved professional development.

Once the Greater Ottawa Correctional Complex is completed, the province says the existing Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre on Innes Road will be re-evaluated with the potential to retrofit and repurpose areas to support modernized service delivery and improve programming for inmates.

"The Ontario Government is making a substantial investment that will transform the corrections system in eastern Ontario," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.

"Modernizing outdated infrastructure and building new facilities will create a better and safer environment for our hard-working frontline staff and address overcrowding in many of our institutions."

Brockville Mayor Jason Baker says replacing the Brockville Jail is good news for his town and the area.

"They are good jobs, they are quality jobs. We're not losing a facility; we're getting a new facility and an expanded one at that."

Baker adds the announcement is good news for correctional staff.

"The staff who are currently working in the Brockville Jail, I'm sure are very excited to hear that they are going to be working in a state of the art, very safe facility soon."