Thunder Bay – The COVID-19 outbreak at the Thunder Bay District Jail has government officials looking to move inmates from the aging and often overcrowded facility to other jails in Ontario.
The Ministry responsible for Ontario Correctional Institutions, the Solicitor General has not confirmed the exact number of prisoners who are going to be transferred to Penetanguishene. The Ministry says this is due to security reasons.
The Central North Correctional Centre in has started to receive a significant number of inmate transfers from across Ontario. These transfers began on Friday, January 15, 2021.
OPSEU Union President Richard Dionne of Local 369 says, “Staff at the jail are expecting around 50 new inmates to be transferred to the facility”.
“Further to the obvious risk, there is a significant workload increase as those coming from Thunder Bay will be isolated, causing additional work for our health-care staff. They are required to conduct additional COVID-19 screenings twice daily.”
Families of inmates at the Thunder Bay District Jail are concerned over the lack of communications on their family members.
The Thunder Bay District Jail is currently under lockdown due to the COVID-19 Outbreak.
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