Manitoba's Agassiz Youth Centre is closing

Province closing youth correctional facility Agassiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie is set to close due to a dramatic decline in youth incarceration.

The Manitoba government is closing the Agassiz Youth Centre (AYC), a youth correctional centre located in Portage la Prairie – a move the union representing corrections workers fears will eliminate more than 100 jobs.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced the closure of the youth centre on Thursday, saying the province will wind down operations of the facility and look to provide resources for community intervention initiatives for youth.

The Agassiz Youth Centre will officially close in July. By this time, all incarcerated youth in southern Manitoba will be at the Manitoba Youth Centre, which the province said has been operating at less than 50 per cent capacity.

The news of the closure came as a surprise to Kyle Ross, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU), which represents provincial corrections workers at the centre.

In a statement, Ross said this closure will impact the youth at the facility and eliminate more than 100 well-paying jobs. He said the MGEU and its members were not consulted about the decision to close the facility, but were called into a meeting on Thursday morning and told the news.

“This was exactly how we were notified about the Dauphin jail closure," his statement said. “We all know that had devastating effects which rippled through the community and it will in no doubt happen in Portage la Prairie as well."

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The province said it will work with the Agassiz Youth Centre staff and the MGEU to match the employees affected by this closure with available work.

“They will all be offered positions within justice, within corrections,” Goertzen said. “The opportunity for employment will continue.”

Ross said the MGEU will hold the government to its commitment of working with the union to match affected employees with work.

YOUTH INCARCERATIONS DROPPING

The province noted it has seen a decline in youth incarcerations over the last nine years, adding that the Agassiz Youth Centre is less than 30 per cent occupied. Goertzen noted there are currently 32 youth in custody at the facility.

“Many will know that after the advent of the Youth Criminal Justice Act many years ago, there was a change in sentencing principles when it comes to youth,” the justice minister said.

“That resulted in reduction of youth being sentenced into custody. Over a number of years, this precedent has continued to build up. We’ve seen that trend happen across Canada.”

The province said this has resulted in several unit and facility closures in Manitoba, and facilities operating at an average of 45 per cent capacity over the past five years. Manitoba’s current overall capacity is at 29 per cent – a notable decrease from 10 years ago when it was at 102 per cent.

There is currently fewer than 90 youth in custody in Manitoba, which is a decrease from over a decade ago, when more than 300 youth were in custody. Manitoba still has more youth incarcerations per capita than most provinces.

Goertzen said there are still many jurisdictions in the province that are in need of justice services, particularly in the north.

“On the one hand, in some parts of Manitoba we have an overcapacity. We have more resources than we need,” he said.

“In other places we have almost no resources.”

The Manitoba government said it will engage with staff, community members, and other stakeholders about the future use of the Agassiz Youth Centre site. Goertzen noted the land where the Agassiz Youth Centre is located will be considered for the new hospital.