Ontario finds no appreciable benefit from privatized prison.

Ontario had "no appreciable benefit" from the private operation of a correctional facility, Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter said. He announced that the operation of Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene would be placed in the public sector, ending the province's five year experiment with a private firm, Management and Training Corporation Canada.

The province created a pilot project to compare the performance of the Central North facility with the publicly operated Central East Correctional Centre in Kawartha Lakes. The two facilities are the same in size and design, including 1,184-bed multi-purpose correctional facilities, and a 32-bed female unit. Both facilities are maximum security institutions. The study concluded the CECC performed better in key areas such as security, health care and reducing reoffending rates. The government will allow the contract with the private operator to expire.

Management and Training Corporation Canada was chosen by the previous Conservative government to operate the Central North Correctional Centre in May 2001 as part of a five-year pilot project. During that period, the Central East Correctional Centre reopened as a publicly operated facility. "We acknowledge that MTCC was in material compliance with the contract," said Kwinter, "but the evidence clearly indicates that the public facility produced better results in key performance areas." The contract with MTCC ends on November 10. Over the next six months, the ministry will work with MTCC and the labour unions on the transfer of operations to the Ontario Public Service.

MTCC is a subsidiary of the Management Training Corporation which operates privatized correctional facilities in the United States and Australia from its corporate headquarters in Centerville, Utah.

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