The BC government announced they were going to allocate $157 million to replace the ageing correctional facility in Nanaimo back in 2019.
Post-construction, that price tag has gone up to $181 million.
The original Nanaimo Correctional Centre (NCC) was built in 1953 and originally was meant to be a reform school.
It has been one of just two provincial correctional centres housing only sentenced, open and medium classified individuals who do not require higher levels of supervision.
The new campus-style NCC is located right next to the former facility and will be architecturally inspired by traditional Coast Salish plank houses.
The Province says it was designed to ensure safety, security, healing, recovery and change while also supporting a connection to nature.
According to the BC government, this new facility features:
- A 190-room capacity of the current centre
- A new 12-room women’s short-term custody unit
- Modernized educational, vocational, trades and rehabilitative spaces and programming
- Areas for those with complex needs
- Culturally supportive practices through collaboration with the Snuneymuxw and Snaw’Naw’As First Nations.
“Helping people make meaningful change and take steps to address the root cause of their behaviour is challenging work,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
“The new NCC is a testament to our commitment to supporting those individuals and the dedicated correctional and health professionals who play a vital role in fostering safer communities.”
The Province says throughout construction, hundreds of local jobs were generated and now that it’s open, additional opportunities will come by way of expanded health and correctional services.
Some additional work has yet to be done on the new site in order to construct a centre for traditional Indigenous programs and a horticultural centre.
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