Any death is too many. We are absolutely committed to making sure that Ontario’s correctional system is safe for everyone.

Years ago, under the previous government’s watch, they brought our correctional system and our public safety system to its knees.

That’s why this government, under Premier Ford, has made a tremendous investment to make sure that our correctional systems are safe. We’ve invested over a half a billion dollars on infrastructure improvement. We’ve hired over a thousand new correctional officers. We have native inmate liaison officers, NILOs, and chaplains there.

Mr. Speaker, we have done a lot in a short period of time, and we will continue to do so each and every day.

Mr. Speaker, that’s exactly why, in the last years since Premier Ford has been our Premier, we have taken public safety very seriously—and that includes the investments in our correctional facilities, the half-a-billion-dollar infrastructure improvements, the suicide prevention and intervention training to make sure that our correctional officers understand things that they may not have understood 20 years ago.

It’s important that everyone knows we will make the investments required to keep our Ontario safe.

I’d like to thank the incredible member from Thunder Bay–Atikokan for this question. Mr. Speaker, I was recently in Thunder Bay with him and I can tell you how truly impressive the sites are.

The ultimate goal of our correctional infrastructure projects is to create a safer environment for our correctional staff and those in our custody.

Not only have we expanded the current Thunder Bay Correctional Centre, but we’ve added a 50-bed new, modular, state-of-the-art build. We’ve also started breaking ground on the $1.2-billion correctional complex in Thunder Bay.

Mr. Speaker, public safety is the utmost priority for our government.

Monsieur le Président, pour moi, c’est personnel. Grâce au travail des services correctionnels, les Ontariens se sentent en sécurité dans leurs communautés.

I am truly excited by this project because we’re replacing out-of-date infrastructure that goes back to the 19th century. This new, modern facility will provide staff with the tools and technology and a healthy work environment to do their jobs safely and effectively.

And it has been an honour, I might say, to meet many native inmate liaison officers during my visits. These are truly amazing people.

Our new facility in Thunder Bay, due to be completed in about four years, will have a 345-bed capacity to address the pressures, create additional space for programming, and expand supports for inmates with mental health issues.

Monsieur le Président, je suis fier de notre personnel correctionnel tous les jours. Ce sont des gens formidables qui nous protègent au quotidien.