The Manitoba government is spending $8 million to upgrade detention centres in Winnipeg and Brandon.
The bulk of the money coming through the province’s Manitoba Restart Program will see a new permanent detention facility built at the Brandon police headquarters, coming in at $4.4 million.
Another $3.5 million will go to the Winnipeg Police Service to upgrade its central processing unit.
“Our government is committed to the safety of all Manitobans including safe conditions for detainees and the staff operating these facilities,” Manitoba’s justice minister, Cliff Cullen, said in a release.
“These important investments will also support jobs in the construction industry as we continue to safely restart and grow Manitoba’s economy.”
Part of the money earmarked for Brandon police will be used to build modular cells at the Brandon police headquarters to address demand in the interim while design and construction of the permanent structure take place.
Cullen says Brandon police will also receive an additional $200,000 from the criminal property forfeiture fund for training and equipment upgrades, including $25,000 shared with the Brandon Bear Clan organization to purchase a new van.
According to the province, the criminal property forfeiture fund has distributed over $16 million to provincial law enforcement agencies and community initiatives since 2011.
–With files from Will Reimer