Ontario Liberals to close Sarnia jail

The Ontario budget, released on Tuesday at Queen's Park, has sounded a death knell for the Sarnia jail.

It will close as a cost-cutting measure and prisoners will be transferred to a new 315-bed super jail in Windsor in 2013, affecting 76 full and part-time workers at the jail.

The government says staff at the facilities being closed will be offered positions at other institutions.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who is also the chair of the local Police Services Board, will have a huge financial impact on the police budget.

Meantime, not surprisingly, Lambton Kent Middlesex Liberal MPP Maria Van Bommel is giving the pre-election budget the thumbs up, especially in the areas of health care, education and agriculture, while Sarnia-Lambton Conservative MPP Bob Bailey is not as generous.

He says the budget fails to provide the relief that Ontario families need.

 “At events across Sarnia-Lambton and in my office, I hear the same thing – HST, new taxes and hydro increases have made it difficult for families to make ends meet,” said Bailey. “In the budget today (Tuesday) Dalton McGuinty had an opportunity to help Ontario families and he failed.”

The Ontario electorate will go to the polls on October 6.

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