The Ontario government is looking to hire 230 correctional officers across the province and 48 of them will be stationed at one of Toronto’s most problematic detention centres.
Earlier this month, the government posted a job posting for both English and French correctional workers on its website.
“Do you have a passion for making a difference in the lives of others? Do you enjoy working with diverse people? If so, then consider this opportunity with the Ministry of the Solicitor General, where you will support the correctional system in Ontario and contribute to the safety of your community,” the post says.
The province is looking to fill positions at 24 detention centres, with the most spots open at the Toronto South Detention Centre (TSDC).
The TSDC is considered one of the city’s newest jails, but its conditions are apparently anything but that, according to a report from the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC)
According to the commission’s data, TSDC is currently home to over 1,000 prisoners who are primarily Black and Indigenous men.
The ORHC toured the correctional facility during the pandemic and reported TSDC management said many of the inmates have “complex mental health disabilities,” which they said can be difficult to manage.
As a result, staff have been using segregation, restrictive confinement, and lockdowns or “time in cell” sanctions.
The OHRC also reported that TSDC staff revokes in-person family visits when inmates don’t behave to their standards.
Its report concluded that there are “serious human rights concerns” at the detention centre.
Torontonians on social media might be familiar with Toronto South supposedly deemed as one of Canada’s toughest detention centres.
Although the ministry can’t give out details about one particular facility, over 2,000 correctional officers have been employed across the province since the COVID-19 pandemic, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General told Now Toronto.
Now, the province is investing $500 million to improve the conditions at the prisons through new hires and infrastructure improvements.
“Open positions can result from several reasons including natural turnover, employee retirement, facility transfers and more,” the spokesperson said.
Each position pays between $32.15 and $37.79 per hour and candidates only need a highschool diploma in order to apply.
The other correctional centres with the most positions available in the province are:
- 25 open spots at Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene
- 19 open spots at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay
- 13 open spots at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton
- 13 open spots at Toronto East Detention Centre in Scarborough
