The city says it has plans to shuttle released superjail prisoners away from Barrie.
An agreement with Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General, announced Wednesday afternoon, would use a shuttle service to allow those released from Central North Correctional Centre (CNCC) in Penetanguishene — known as the superjail — to get closer to home or where they lived before spending time behind bars.
“The regular drop-off in Barrie of recently released prisoners puts additional pressures on our social service agencies,” said Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall. “Our city does not have the resources in place to support the influx of individuals being brought to Barrie from prison on a regular basis.
“The goal of the pilot project is to provide alternative transportation options to bring individuals leaving the correctional system closer to their desired final destination and existing support networks,” he added.
The shuttle service is anticipated to start in September 2023.
Nuttall said this program would “provide additional options to help individuals successfully transition out of the correctional system.”
The city says Barrie was historically chosen as the drop-off location for those released from CNCC because it was the closest city which provided regional transit service.
Several individuals are released each day from CNCC, according to the city, and a number of those individuals arrive in Barrie.
The city will be responsible for all costs associated with these new transportation services.
Nuttall said specific details of the costs are still being worked out with Barrie Transit, in terms of hours of service and routes, but it will be aligned to the city’s contract with MVT Canadian Bus, the local transit provider, for hourly shuttle services.
The city is not planning to hire any additional staff to support the pilot project, Nuttall said.
This pilot project is part of a May 17 city council motion to address chronic homelessness and enhance public safety in Barrie.
Nuttall said the release of individuals from CNCC to the Barrie area was an issue he heard when campaigning during last October’s city election.
His platform included a promise to “end the prisoner drop-off in Barrie” on campaign brochures.
Last May 17, council unanimously approved a direct motion addressing not only chronic homelessness and public safety, but having measures dealing with drug addiction, mental health problems, shelter, counselling, limiting camping in city parks, feeding the hungry in public places and a panhandling ban.
It also includes funding the operation of a shuttle service for those released from CNCC.
The direct motion also commits as much as $825,000 to these initiatives in each of the next two years, which could be a funding source for the shuttle service.
A public meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19, at community safety committee’s meeting, on chronic homelessness, addiction and mental health supports in Barrie.
General committee and city council are scheduled to meet Aug. 16 and these matters could also be on the agenda then.
