Province says investment will support tougher bail measures and rising correctional demands
TORONTO — The Ontario government is moving ahead with a major expansion of the province’s adult correctional system, announcing plans to add more than 2,500 permanent jail beds over the next decade as part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening bail enforcement and keeping repeat offenders in custody.
The initiative, backed by a $3 billion provincial investment, is designed to expand correctional capacity while supporting frontline staff through additional hiring, upgraded safety measures and new infrastructure projects across Ontario.
The announcement comes as the province continues to push for stricter bail provisions and tougher sentencing measures at both the provincial and federal levels.
“When violent and repeat offenders break the law, Ontarians expect them to be kept behind bars and not back on our streets,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “That’s why we’re strengthening bail and making generational investments to increase correctional capacity so there is always room to hold criminals accountable, today and into the future.”
Multi-Phase Expansion Across Ontario
Ontario said the expansion strategy will involve several parallel projects intended to increase capacity in both the short and long term.
The province plans to add up to 255 permanent beds across 12 existing correctional institutions by November 2026. In addition, Ontario is revising the design and scope of projects already underway to bring as many as 1,703 beds online in coming years.
The government is also pursuing rapid-build projects at several facilities that could deliver up to 610 additional beds in the near term.
According to the province, the rapid-build program will include:
Central East and Central North facilities targeted for expansion
- Central East Correctional Centre — 122 beds
- Central North Correctional Centre — 122 beds
- Other institutions — up to 366 beds
The government said these projects will rely in part on tensile membrane structures, which are intended to provide faster and more cost-effective inmate housing solutions than traditional construction methods while still meeting operational and security standards.
Ontario is also expanding the use of modular construction, which combines prefabricated units with site-built foundations and common service areas.
Thunder Bay and Other Projects Moving Forward
Among the largest projects currently underway is the Thunder Bay Correctional Complex, which is nearing substantial completion and expected to become operational in 2027.
Ontario said the revised project scope will add 117 more beds at the facility, bringing its total planned capacity to 462 beds. The province also confirmed that both the Thunder Bay Jail and Thunder Bay Correctional Centre will remain open alongside the new complex.
Additional projects include:
New beds planned through facility upgrades and modular builds
- 300 additional beds through modular facilities in Sudbury, Milton and Niagara
- 91 beds previously announced for the Quinte Detention Centre expansion
- 270 beds at the new Brockville Correctional Complex
- 320 beds through the repurposing of the former intermittent centre at Toronto South Detention Centre
- 25 additional beds at the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre
The province said recruitment efforts are already underway for staffing at the new Thunder Bay complex.
Province Hiring More Than 700 Additional Staff
As part of the 2026 provincial budget, Ontario said it will hire more than 700 new correctional workers, including correctional officers, nurses and support staff, to support the expanded system.
The government also announced enhanced security measures at adult correctional facilities, including upgraded body scanners and increased canine search operations.
Since June 2018, Ontario said it has hired more than 4,000 correctional officers across the province.
Attorney General Doug Downey said the investment forms part of a broader effort to tighten bail rules and improve public safety.
“People deserve to feel safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “That’s why our government is working across the justice system to strengthen bail and hold dangerous offenders accountable. Building on the strong measures our government has already taken to make bail more real and consequential for people accused of serious crimes, we are making historic investments to expand court and correctional capacity to keep violent and repeat offenders off our streets and protect Ontario communities.”
Ontario Continues Push for Federal Bail Reform
The province said it will continue advocating for federal Criminal Code reforms, including reverse onus bail provisions for serious offences and changes allowing for consecutive sentencing.
Ontario has repeatedly argued that current bail rules are too lenient for repeat violent offenders and has called on Ottawa to introduce additional measures aimed at strengthening Canada’s justice system.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said the correctional investment reflects the government’s broader public safety agenda outlined in Budget 2026.
“Ontarians want a government that has their backs, especially when it comes to building prosperous communities where people and families can feel safe and protected from crime and violence. That is why, through Budget 2026, our government is keeping communities safe by investing a historic $3 billion to build more capacity in our jails and keep dangerous criminals off our streets and behind bars, where they belong.”