The Ontario government has taken the next step in its plan to expand the Quinte Detention Centre by issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The expansion aims to modernize the facility and increase its capacity by over 23 per cent.
The project will add 66 new beds for female offenders, bringing the centre’s total capacity to over 300 beds, along with additional programming space to meet care and rehabilitation needs.
“Our government continues to enhance our adult correctional system by increasing capacity and providing the tools and resources needed to support this essential pillar of our justice system,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.
The move is part of a $500-million provincial investment to modernize Ontario’s adult correctional services. Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure, said the project will “ensure the residents of Napanee are kept safe from dangerous offenders, while giving inmates a better chance of reintegration.”
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) co-chair Chad Oldfield called the expansion a step in the right direction.
“These additional beds, along with the hiring of full-time staff, will help manage the rising inmate counts and mitigate the risk of violence within institutions,” he said.
Shortlisted applicants will move to the next phase when the province issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) in summer 2025.