Ottawa’s decision to invest $1.3 billion in constructing a new hospital for inmates in New Brunswick has been criticized by Correctional Investigator of Canada, Ivan Zinger. In his recently released annual report, Zinger described the allocation of funds as misguided and a significant misplacement of resources. He suggested that Correctional Service Canada should have collaborated with provincial facilities to expand bed capacity for acute mental health services, a more cost-effective and sustainable approach in the long run.
Zinger emphasized that mental health care for inmates should be provided outside of the prison setting and denounced the construction of the new facility next to the Dorchester Penitentiary. He stressed that individuals with serious mental illnesses should be treated as patients first, not inmates, and recommended transferring them to community-based psychiatric hospitals for specialized care.
Despite Zinger’s concerns, the federal government, in its official response to the report, indicated that it will continue with the construction of the new facility, rejecting the recommendation to cancel the project. The estimated cost for the project has tripled from $400 million in 2021 to the current $1.3 billion, as reported by CBC/Radio-Canada. The new hospital will replace the Shepody Healing Centre, described by a psychiatrist as akin to a “dungeon,” within the Dorchester Penitentiary.
The new hospital will be located in the riding of Beauséjour, represented by cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc. Despite the increased budget, former director of the Shepody Centre, Luc Doucet, defended the project, stating that delaying the initiative would only escalate costs. Doucet emphasized the importance of providing proper care to individuals with mental health issues to ensure their successful reintegration into society post-release.