Provincial Government Announces New Measures In The Fight Against COVID-19

Saturday, 14 March 2020 at 08:53

To reduce the possible transmission of COVID-19, the Province announced inmates who serve time on weekends will be granted a temporary absence to return home, which went into effect on March 13th.

ONTARIO - Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones issued the following statement regarding operational changes to adult correctional facilities across the province as a precautionary response to COVID-19:

"The health and well-being of Ontarians is our government's number one priority. Since we first learned of COVID-19, Ontario has been taking decisive action to contain the virus and protect all Ontarians.

Out of an abundance of caution, the province is taking decisive action to protect the health and safety of our correctional services staff and those in our custody. To reduce the possible transmission of COVID-19 in our correctional facilities, effective March 13, 2020 and until further notice, intermittent inmates who serve time on the weekends will be required to attend their reporting facility, where they will be given a temporary absence from custody and permitted to return home. Intermittent inmates have already been deemed low-risk by the courts and remain in the community Monday to Friday to live and work.

In addition, we are temporarily suspending personal visits within our adult correctional facilities across the province. This suspension will come into effect on March 14, 2020 and remain until further notice. Professional visits including legal counsel will continue.

These measures are necessary to reduce any potential transmission of COVID-19. We are taking immediate action to ensure the safety of both our staff and those in our custody. We all need to stay vigilant and do our part to ensure the health and well-being of all Ontarians."

You can go here to find more information.