Queens Park has finally set the deadline for the closing of the Owen Sound and Walkerton jails.
OPSEU local President Paul Johnstone says Mayor Deb Haswell was complaining earlier this week that there had been no news from Toronto….
Now, word has come down from Queens Park that the two jails will be closed on December 4th.
Johnstone says the impact on the two communities will be close to 3 million dollars each, thru lost wages.
Some workers are planning to transfer to Penetang, while others are going to similar facilities in the province or taking early retirement.
Both the Scenic city and Walkerton have been fighting to keep the jails going, arguing the closure had not been well researched by Queens Park.
Johnstone says the communities rallied behind the workers, and he thanks them for their efforts.
Mayor Deb Haswell is planning on meeting with Owen Sound Police chief Bill Sornberger to discuss the impact on his force.
Haswell says she has been re-assured that the province would pick up any extra costs associated with prisoner transfers, but she hasn’t seen that in writing.
The Owen Sound Mayor says they have a lot of issues to discuss surrounding the jail closure, including what to do with the building once it reverts back to city ownership.
