In May I wrote to the ADM informing him of concerns with the lack of consultation or meaningful input into the process and development of the two new facilities, the Toronto South Detention Centre,(TSDC) and the Regional South West Detention Centre (RSWDC). The Ministry, MERC, and JPH&SC, agreed to participate in joint consultation to ensure that the best possible facility is designed; one that is safe, secure and efficient.
Yesterday we met with the management group developing the TSDC. We agreed to form a committee to facilitate the consultation process and to form sub-committees to include members from the Toronto Jail, Mimico, the Central Region, CECC, and CNCC.
These sub committees will be broken down into specific departmental areas and streams e.g. security, health care, diversity, IT, A&D. Subcommittee members will serve on an intermittent, or “as needed basis”, to attend discussions and work in groups to review design criteria and ensure that best practices and innovative design considerations are employed for the new facility and for the future. We hope to set up a similar process for the RSWDC.
The idea is to include the Local Executive and members of the Toronto Jail, and Mimico as they are most impacted as well as drawing from the experience of our members from other institutions. Up to five members may sit on a subcommittee. As someone who worked at an institution where this was not done during the early stages, this is a great step forward and will be a benefit to both parties. Hopefully, the same pitfalls that happened at CECC, CNCC, MHCC, and others can be avoided.
The next stage of the committee will be to develop operating procedures, and practices for the new institutions. I will be contacting the Local Presidents to discuss inviting interested stewards from these Locals to participate in a positive and constructive manner.
In Solidarity
Dan Sidsworth
