The Ontario Liberal Party is calling for a moratorium on construction of the proposed Kemptville prison until such time that the government holds public and stakeholder consultation on whether building a new prison in Eastern Ontario is the best way to use public funds to enhance community safety and explore alternative options.
The Ontario Liberal Party is also calling on the Ford government to release all relevant documents held by the Ministry of the Solicitor General concerning the site selection process and due diligence activities, such as environmental assessment, concerning the proposed Kemptville Prison.
Ottawa area MPP Lucille Collard, the Liberal Critic for the Solicitor General and Environment at Queen’s Park, said, “The failure of the Ford government to consult with the municipality is a legitimate concern for projects of this magnitude given the impacts that should have been discussed with the community.”
Josh Bennett, the Ontario Liberal Party Candidate in Leeds-Grenville Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, said, “it is the responsibility of elected officials to consult, engage, and empower local citizens to have a say in the growth, vision, and future of their community. Steve Clark failed to do this when he announced, out of the blue, that a prison would be built in the middle of downtown Kemptville. We need robust consultations with Indigenous peoples, Kemptville residents, and the wider North Grenville community on how best to use the historic farmlands of the old Kemptville Agriculture College.”
