Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General (SOLGEN) has confirmed that an inmate passed away at the Thunder Bay Jail on July 1.
This incident follows a recent call from First Nation leaders for the jail’s closure due to safety issues stemming from overcrowding, lack of staff, and problems with the aging infrastructure at the century-old facility.
has reached out for information about the deceased’s age and whether authorities suspect foul play.
A spokesperson for the ministry stated via email on Tuesday that “given this matter is subject to multiple investigations, no further information can be provided.”
Officers were dispatched to the jail shortly before 2:30 p. m. on July 1 “in response to a report regarding a sudden death,” according to a representative from the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) in an email to .
“The investigation remains ongoing with partner agencies,” said TBPS media relations co-ordinator CJ Goater. “No other information is available at this time.”
Investigations into deaths across the province are handled by the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service “to ensure that no death will be overlooked, concealed or ignored.”
“The findings are used to generate recommendations to help improve public safety and prevent deaths in similar circumstances,” states the province’s website.
A spokesperson for Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) confirmed they are not part of this inmate’s death investigation. This independent agency looks into police actions that may lead to death, serious injury, sexual assault, or firearm discharge at individuals.
The new Thunder Bay Correctional Complex (also known as the new Thunder Bay Correctional Centre), currently being built along Highway 61, was intended to replace both the existing Thunder Bay Jail and Thunder Bay Correctional Centre. However, both facilities will likely continue operating after the new complex opens, managed under a single administration through a campus model.
The jail is set to remain open for at least five years following completion of the complex “to allow flexibility in the provincial correctional system,” according to Jayne Harten, director of SOLGEN’s delivery and integration branch.
Harten testified during a recent inquest into Kevin Mamakwa’s death on June 2, 2020; he was 27 years old when he died at Thunder Bay Jail.
A recommendation from jurors was that SOLGEN create and publicly release a plan aimed at decommissioning the jail within five years after opening up their new correctional complex.
The jury also suggested that this jail should never be repurposed for future incarceration needs.
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