The Manitoba government says that the Agassiz Youth Centre will close after nine years of declining counts in youth custody in the province.

With just 30 per cent of the centre being occupied, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced on Thursday, March 24, that the province has decided to wind down its operations while looking to provide more resources for youth community intervention initiatives.

"Like every province in Canada, the past decade has seen a very significant decline in youth incarceration, which has resulted in our youth facilities in both Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie operating at well under half capacity for the better part of a decade," says Goertzen. "While still a very difficult decision, it is challenging to operate a facility at 25 per cent capacity. At the same time, there is overwhelming demand for facility support in many places in Manitoba."

Goertzen notes that the Agassiz Youth Centre staff are dedicated and valued members of Manitoba Corrections.

"The closure of the facility is a reflection of the reality of youth incarceration numbers in Manitoba and Canada, and not a reflection of their work, which has been exemplary," says Goertzen.

The province notes that they will engage with staff, the community, and other stakeholders in the weeks ahead on decisions about the future use of the Agassiz Youth Centre site in Portage la Prairie. In addition, the province will work with the centre's staff and the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union to match affected employees with available work at other correctional facilities.

The centre is set to officially close on July 22.

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Written by Noah Fuchs