February 3, 2009

Newly expanded Ottawa youth custody facility opens

McGuinty Government Helping Youth Get Their Lives Back On Track

Left to right: Gilbert Tayles, Assistant Deputy Minister Children and Youth Services; Yasir Naqvi, Ottawa Centre MPP; Alex Munter, Executive Director, Youth Services Bureau; Deb Matthews, Minister of Children and Youth Services; Gord Boyd, Director of Youth Justice Services, William E. Hay Centre and Judith Wright, Deputy Minister, Children and Youth Services.

News

The William E. Hay Youth Centre, a newly expanded secure custody facility, will now help accommodate more youth in conflict with the law with specialized services and programs.

The Ottawa project is an expansion of an existing secure custody/detention facility that will add 16 more beds for a total of 40 for male youth ages 12 to 17.  All male youth in conflict with the law who require secure custody in the Ottawa area will now be served at this facility.

Ontario is moving youth out of adult correctional facilities and into separate youth custody facilities to provide young people with more effective programs and more opportunity for rehabilitation as close to home as possible.

Services provided at the centre will help youth make the transition back into their community better-prepared to make the right choices and a positive contribution to society.

Quotes

“This expansion marks the end of an era,” said Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews.  “No longer will youth in conflict with the law be sharing a facility with adult offenders. Not only will they take responsibility for their actions but they’ll have access to dedicated youth programming that will significantly reduce their risk of reoffending.”

“This expansion is part of Ontario's plan to establish a dedicated stand-alone detention and custody system to help meet the unique needs of youth ages 12-17 in conflict with the law," said Yasir Naqvi, MPP for Ottawa Centre.

“The William E. Hay Centre’s dedicated staff are focused on this goal: to ensure no young person’s entire future is defined by a poor choice they have made or a risk they have taken. Working with the other Youth Services Bureau programs – mental health, housing and employment – we seek to focus these young men on the path towards a better life ahead,” said Alex Munter, Executive Director, Youth Services Bureau.

Quick facts

• Approximately 27 new jobs have been created to operate the expanded centre as well as more than 100 construction-related jobs. 
• The province is building new youth centres in Brampton, Fort Frances and Thunder Bay and just opened a new youth centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

Learn more

• Learn more about programs for youth in conflict with the law in Ontario.
• Find out about how Ontario is helping youth achieve their potential.
• The Youth Criminal Justice Act is the legislation in Canada that deals with young people ages 12 to 17 who break the law.
• Learn more about ReNew Ontario, the province’s infrastructure investment plan.   

• Fact sheet - William E. Hay Youth Centre