THUNDER BAY — Conditions in the Thunder Bay District Jail are coming under scrutiny again, this time in the annual report by the Ontario ombudsman's office.
Ombudsman Paul Dube says he was left "shaken" after a visit to the jail.
"It's heart-wrenching to see the conditions in which those inmates are living," Dube wrote.
He said that in some areas of the Thunder Bay and Kenora jails, inmates had no direct access to toilets, and were subjected to frequent, lengthy lockdowns.
As a result, their access to programs, fresh air and running water was limited.
Dube noted that in some cases, three or four inmates are living in cells meant to accommodate only two people.
The ombudsman received over 6,000 complaints from inmates across Ontario last year, a record high.
His report says inadequate conditions are harming the morale of not only inmates, but correctional staff as well.
Following the release of the report Tuesday, the Opposition critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa, issued an open letter to the government, describing the conditions in the Thunder Bay and Kenora jails as inhumane.
Mamakwa said Dube found the situation in the two facilities "disturbing" and "appalling."
The province plans to replace the Thunder Bay jail with a new facility, but he reiterated his call for the creation of an interim facility to house inmates in order to deal with overcrowding.
The NDP MPP also wants alternatives to jails that embody Indigenous values, beliefs and traditions such as healing lodges, and culturally-relevant supports for Indigenous inmates.
As well, he's calling for the recruitment of Indigenous staff for jails.
