News Releases

Ontario Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KINGSTON, ON, February 19, 2007 - Ontario Regional Deputy Commissioner, Nancy Stableforth announced today the closure of Isabel McNeill House (IMH) minimum-security facility for women offenders.

"The Isabel McNeill House has reached its limitation as a cost-effective and viable facility and it would not be responsible to spend the significant amount of funds required to keep the facility operational when other options exist," said Ontario Regional Deputy Commissioner Nancy Stableforth.

Alternative minimum security options are available for the women currently residing at IMH. All regional women offender facilities are multi-level security institutions and are able to provide a minimum-security environment for all minimum-security designated offenders.

Affected indeterminate employees will be offered employment elsewhere within Correctional Service Canada (CSC) in the Ontario Region.

Isabel McNeill House in Kingston, Ontario is a small stand alone minimum security women's facility with a capacity of 10 offenders. It was originally opened in 1990 and provided another option for minimum-security accommodation for women offenders when the Prison for Women was operational. When the Prison for Women closed in 2000 and the multi-level security women's institutions opened, the need and use of IMH decreased significantly.

CSC has made remarkable progress in the area of women's corrections over the past decade. The closure of IMH will allow the Ontario region to accommodate women offenders in the same manner as they are accommodated in other regions.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Diane Russon
Regional Communications Manager, Ontario
613-545-8210