As of May, outbreaks have been reported in federal correctional facilities. At Port-Cartier, on Quebec’s North Shore, two prisoners and one correctional worker have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Port-Cartier is remote: nearly 600 km from Quebec City. Outside traffic is closed. As of April 1 there were 35 cases confirmed in the North Shore region.
Toronto South Detention Centre, one of the correctional facilities in Ontario has also confirmed positive cases. Federal correctional facilities like Port Cartier on Quebec’s North Shore, have reported cases. Quebec has been the worse in terms of COVID cases. Among 3 facilities in Quebec, Joliette Institution has 51 inmate cases; Port Cartier has 14; and the Federal Training Centre in Laval has 44. Employees at the federal prisons have also tested positive for the virus. 10 at the Federal Training Centre, 49 at Joliette prison, and 26 at the Port Cartier Institution.
At Beaver Creek Institution north of Toronto, inmates were placed on lockdown to contain spread of the virus. This means they can only leave their cells for two hours each day. This was preceded by a confirmed case of a staff member that contracted the virus. Thorough cleaning has been undergone at the facilities, and the Correctional Services of Canada have been monitoring the security and safety conditions. Beaver Creek jail has the capacity to hold 201 inmates in 5 residential style units.
Among other women’s prisons, COVID-19 have been found in Joliette and Grand Valley women’s institution. Correctional Services Canada has reported 10 recoveries among inmates at the Joliette prison and 2 at Port-Cartier Institution.
For an updated list of COVID-19 statistics at Canadian prisons please see this list (November 2020).