WHEREAS provincial prisoners held in municipally owned cells are the financial responsibility of the Province; AND WHEREAS the dollar amount recovered from the Province to hold provincial prisoners does not reflect the true cost paid by the local government to provide this service and the cost difference becomes a burden to the local government and their residents: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM engage the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General in discussions in order to achieve an agreement on an equitable recovery for provincial prisoner cost.
Ministry of Justice The Ministry of Justice continues to reimburse municipalities equitably for housing provincial prisoners in police lockups while they are attending court or awaiting transport to correctional facilities. Police lock-ups in British Columbia house both municipal and provincial prisoners. Municipal prisoners are the financial responsibility of the municipality. Provincial prisoners, which are paid for under the Keep of Prisoners Program, account for approximately 15 percent of reported admissions into police lock-ups. 12 percent of reported admissions into police lock-ups are remanded after admission. The Keep of Prisoners rate of approximately 175 per day is reasonable and is sufficient to ensure that the immediate needs of prisoners are met. For the past 10 years, Keep of Prisoners has remained an effective, equitable and accountable program that operates in collaboration with police and local governments. Staff in the Ministry of Justice are available to discuss the Keep of Prisoners Program with local government representatives.