TORONTO — The Ford government is taking the next step toward reopening the long-closed Brantford Jail, launching planning and design work that could add up to 125 beds to Ontario’s strained correctional system.Solicitor General Michael Kerzner announced the move Thursday as part of the province’s $3-billion effort to expand adult correctional capacity and keep violent and repeat offenders behind bars.“Protecting Ontario starts with making sure our correctional system has the capacity it needs today and for years to come,” Kerzner said. “That’s why we’re exploring opportunities to reopen suitable former correctional facilities like the Brantford Jail that were closed by the previous government while continuing to make historic expenditures in new correctional infrastructure across the province.”.The Ministry of the Solicitor General, working with Infrastructure Ontario, will assess the work required to safely reopen and operate the facility. Built in the 1850s, the jail forms part of a 1.6-acre government complex that includes the Brantford Courthouse. It was shuttered at the end of 2017 under the previous Liberal government amid claims of high maintenance costs.Local Progressive Conservative MPP Will Bouma welcomed the announcement, noting the closure had forced inmates farther from families, lawyers and the local courts.The Brantford project sits within a broader expansion that aims to bring up to 2,568 additional beds online over the next decade. The province is already adding up to 255 permanent beds across 12 existing institutions by November 2026 through renovations and modular builds.Ontario’s jails have faced persistent overcrowding, with recent data showing the system routinely operating well above rated capacity. Officials argue the extra space is essential to support tougher bail and sentencing measures and to ensure there is room to hold offenders accountable..Critics have previously questioned the viability and cost of renovating century-old facilities compared with new construction, but the government maintains reopening suitable sites offers a faster and more cost-effective path to additional capacity.No firm timeline or final cost estimate for the Brantford reopening has been released. The planning work will inform those decisions.The announcement comes as public concern over crime and catch-and-release policies remains high across the province.
