Ombudsman to investigate Ontario's response to incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex Français
Paul Dubé: Significant concerns raised about accountability and inmates' rights
TORONTO, June 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today announced a new investigation into the Ministry of the Solicitor General's response to a December 2023 incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex, due to significant public concerns about transparency, accountability and inmates' rights.
The incident involved Maplehurst's Institutional Crisis Intervention Team (ICIT), and its response to an assault on a correctional officer at the complex in Halton Region, which houses nearly 1,500 inmates in medium and maximum security.
"Several inmates and members of the public have contacted us to express concerns about the treatment of inmates by the ICIT over two days in December 2023," Mr. Dubé said. "The Ministry has already investigated the incident. What my investigation will cover is the steps the Ministry took as a result, and what it is doing to make sure something like this does not happen again."
During the two days that ICIT correctional officers were deployed at Maplehurst, inmates in Unit 8 were stripped to their boxer shorts and forced to sit on the floor and face the wall with their wrists zip-tied, while correctional officers in tactical gear patrolled behind them. Some of these inmates have subsequently had their sentences reduced by judges who have raised concerns about this treatment. In one case, the prosecution acknowledged that an inmate's rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were violated during the ICIT incident.
"When an incident occurs in an Ontario correctional facility that impacts the administration of justice and the rights of inmates, it is imperative that we understand why it happened and what is being done to ensure that it does not recur," the Ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman's Office receives thousands of complaints related to correctional services every year, and engages actively with the Ministry of the Solicitor General to address these cases and underlying systemic issues. The Ombudsman received some 60 complaints about the ICIT incident at Maplehurst, including from inmates who were directly involved. Now that the Ministry has had the opportunity to complete its internal investigations of this matter, the Ombudsman has determined that an investigation by his Office is warranted in order to ensure transparency and accountability, and adequate safeguards for the future.
The investigation will focus on the Ministry's response to the incident and what safeguards can be put in place to prevent something similar from happening in future. The investigation will not examine personnel or disciplinary matters related to individual correctional staff.
Given the significant public interest in this issue, the Ombudsman has committed to completing the investigation as efficiently as possible. Anyone who has information that they believe may be relevant to the investigation is invited to contact Ombudsman Ontario by filing a confidential complaint form at www.ombudsman.on.ca, by calling 1-800-263-1830 or emailing [email protected].
Media please note: As this investigation is in its early stages, the Ombudsman will not be available to discuss it publicly.
About Ombudsman Ontario: The Ombudsman, established in 1975 to help protect the rights of all Ontarians, is an independent and impartial officer of the Legislature. Under the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman reviews and resolves complaints and inquiries from the public about provincial government organizations, as well as French language services, child protection services, municipalities, universities and school boards. The Ombudsman's systemic investigations have prompted widespread reforms benefiting millions of people across the province.
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