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Canada report predicts higher prison costs
OTTAWA, (UPI) -- Canadians can expect to pay billions more to house prisoners in coming years under new sentencing rules, a report issued Tuesday projects.
Legislation that went into effect in February limits the amount of credit inmates receive for time they spend behind bars before and during their trials.
Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page said his report shows construction of new prisons that will be needed to keep prisoners incarcerated longer will cost $1.8 billion over five years, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. He said another $618 million will be needed each year for capital appropriations, and operations and maintenance costs.
"I knew incarceration was expensive," Page told reporters. "When we do the simple math in terms of longer stays, which means higher head counts and we know how expensive … incarceration is, you get to big numbers in a hurry."
In April, Conservatives had estimated the cost of implementing the sentencing legislation at $2 billion over five years.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews rejected the latest findings, saying if Page's information didn't come from Correctional Service Canada, "he must be making this up," the CBC said.
OTTAWA, (UPI) -- Canadians can expect to pay billions more to house prisoners in coming years under new sentencing rules, a report issued Tuesday projects.
Legislation that went into effect in February limits the amount of credit inmates receive for time they spend behind bars before and during their trials.
Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page said his report shows construction of new prisons that will be needed to keep prisoners incarcerated longer will cost $1.8 billion over five years, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. He said another $618 million will be needed each year for capital appropriations, and operations and maintenance costs.
"I knew incarceration was expensive," Page told reporters. "When we do the simple math in terms of longer stays, which means higher head counts and we know how expensive … incarceration is, you get to big numbers in a hurry."
In April, Conservatives had estimated the cost of implementing the sentencing legislation at $2 billion over five years.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews rejected the latest findings, saying if Page's information didn't come from Correctional Service Canada, "he must be making this up," the CBC said.