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Okanagan correctional centre needed, says BCGEU

'Our jails are operating at 180% above capacity.' - Darryl Walker, BCGEU president.

Vancouver (20 May 2010) - The B.C. government admits it needs a new correctional facility in the Okanagan but it has made no plans and set aside no money to pay for one, says the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE).

The union bases its conclusion on an April 26 letter from the Deputy Solicitor General David Morhart.

"We are very disappointed with the information we have received from the government," says Darryl Walker, BCGEU president. "It is clear that such a facility is needed, and the government admits that."

Morhart writes in the letter:

"We continue to recognize the long term need for additional capacity in the Central Interior and continue to consider the general Okanagan areas as the most appropriate location to meet the growing demand.... there has been no recent planning on an Okanagan facility, nor has funding approval been secured."

Walker says the existing facility at Kamloops is overcrowded with a 40-to-1 inmates to guard ratio and is housing 389 inmates, more than double the capacity it was meant to hold when built in 1989.

"There are also news reports that Kelowna's RCMP jails have been used to hold prisoners and they are overcrowded," notes Walker.

"This kind of inaction has a rebound effect and forces jails like the North Fraser Pre-Trial Centre in Port Coquitlam to operate at more than double its capacity. North Fraser was built for 300 inmates and now has well over 600 with staff working alone in the living units with up to 60 inmates,” he says.

In January 2008 the government cancelled a news conference that was expected to provide details on a new correctional facility in Kelowna. No announcement has been made since then.

"At the very least the government should have some ongoing planning to build a facility in the Okanagan," Walker argues.

"Our jails are operating at 180% above capacity and the government's own public safety ministry service plan says it has reached critical capacity. The government already owns the land in Winfield and needs to be more pro-active on this file."

The letter from Morhart also notes that there are no plans to expand the existing facility or develop a new one in Kamloops.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE