Inmates in Quebec’s correctional facilities will soon be required to wear uniforms and will also face stricter disciplinary measures, the Quebec government announced Thursday. The new regulations aim to “enhance security in detention facilities,” the Ministry of Domestic Security stated in a news release. Until now, inmates in provincially administered detention facilities have been able to serve their sentences wearing their own clothes. However, the government will now require inmates to wear “institutional clothing.” The uniforms include gray shorts, sweaters, and tracksuits, as well as black gloves and hats for outdoor use. “Inmates will be required to help with the production and cleaning of the provided clothing,” the news release states. A one-year pilot project for making clothing will be conducted at the Roberval detention facility, which already has a sewing workshop. “The elimination of personal clothing is intended, in particular, to reduce the risk of prohibited items being brought in and to curb contraband trafficking within the facility,” the ministry stated. It also stated it would assist with body searches and reduce gang-affiliated symbols. Uniforms are already worn by inmates in federal correctional facilities, as well as in prisons administered by Canada’s nine other provinces. The department has also expanded the powers of correctional staff, who will be able to “file violation reports in a wider range of situations, including those involving prohibited substances and items delivered by drone.” This provision, which takes effect on Sept. 28, also allows disciplinary committees to impose “a wider range of more severe sanctions for serious offences, such as smuggling in a cell phone or damaging infrastructure.” For example, an inmate could be subject to “community service, a suspension of canteen purchases, or solitary confinement longer than the duration currently permitted.” “By allowing disciplinary committees to use a wider range of sanctions, we are adding a safeguard against misconduct and acts of violence,” said Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière in a news release. In Quebec, individuals awaiting trial or sentenced to less than two years are incarcerated in provincial facilities. - This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 13, 2026.
