Bail is about to get harder in Canada, and Alberta’s already crowded remand centres aren’t ready for what’s coming, an advocate for correctional workers warns.

Starting Wednesday, July 15, federal bail reform will limit the number of accused people released before trial, and Calgary’s remand centre, already at 75 per cent capacity, is expected to feel the strain first. 

Bill C-14, the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, received royal assent last month and brings more than 80 new clauses amending three of the country’s primary justice acts. The legislation targets repeat offenders, violent crime, and organized crime through introducing stricter sentencing and bail laws. 

According to a news release issued by the Department of Justice Canada late last month, some of these changes mean that the courts must consider additional factors before granting a person bail and direct the police to detain an accused person when necessary to protect the public.

The federal government has placed the responsibility on lower levels of government to assist in implementing the legislation, including staffing bail supervision programs, jails, and other services.

“Now that these changes are law, effective implementation will be essential,” the release quoted Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

“I look forward to continuing to work with provinces, territories, and municipalities to help ensure these changes achieve their intended impact and help build safer communities.”

Bobby-Joe Borodey, vice president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, said remand centres will be expected to take in more inmates as a result, despite some already being under significant pressure.

“It’s not too challenging to figure out that if there’s bail reform and it’s more challenging to achieve bail, that there will be more people,” she said. 

“That is exacerbated by the fact that staffing has not increased to account for the overcrowding.”

Union leader stresses staffing support from the province

Alberta is home to two types of adult correctional facilities: one housing inmates serving sentences, and another housing those awaiting trial. 

The latter, called remand centres, are located in major municipalities such as Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, and Red Deer. Altogether, these four facilities can hold 2,819 inmates. 

At the same time, with the province’s centres at nearly 80 per cent capacity across the board, Borodey said there are not enough corrections staff currently employed to handle the population spike. 

“Staffing across corrections in the province is lacking, as far as enough staff members,” she said. 

“Our biggest concern, though, is that they already work in a high-risk job as it is, and when you increase the number of inmates that our correction officers will need to maintain, manage, and care for, that risk will exponentially go up.”

Borodey said that overcrowding brings side effects such as an upsurge in violence, self-harm, and mental health issues among inmates. These impact everyone, including workers, whether that be guards or administrators.

“It becomes challenging for staff to provide food, healthcare, rehabilitation, as well as maintain their own safety,” she said. 

“That, of course, directly relates to our members and the workers in those facilities.”

Since the legislation was announced, Borodey said that the province has not done its due diligence in hiring more staff to accommodate the influx of inmates. She said this is especially worrying for centres that are already busy. 

“If you recognize that there’s a situation, you need to put in the appropriate resources and supports,” said Borodey. 

“We haven’t seen our government do that.”

Calgary pre-trial centre capacity a top concern

Of the four facilities, Borodey said that the Calgary Remand Centre is particularly concerning, as it is the most full ahead of the bill coming into effect. She cited it being smaller than the Edmonton facility, despite having a higher population, as part of the reason. 

“While we’re concerned about all remand centres, I guess if we had to prioritize our concern, Calgary is at the top of that list, just because of its overall capacity,” she said.

According to an email statement from Alberta’s Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services, as of July 9, the Calgary centre had 529 occupants out of its total operational capacity of 702.

In comparison, the Edmonton Remand Centre has been built to temporarily house up to 1,952 inmates. 

“Public Safety and Emergency Services will continue to monitor and assess the impact of the legislation as it is implemented,” the statement read.

“Alberta Correctional Services closely tracks inmate populations across the province and addresses pressures through coordinated operational planning and resource allocation to help ensure correctional facilities remain safe, secure and able to provide access to programs and services.”

However, Borodey stressed that support from the province is needed before the legislation comes into effect, not after facilities, staff, and inmates have already felt its impacts.

“We don’t want a situation where we have to wait for something to get out of hand, or for someone to be hurt…before we actually take action,” she said. 

“Let’s get ahead of that problem now, instead of waiting for it to show its ugly head.”