The province says there’s no plan at this point to change the funding formula for jails that house out-of-town inmates.
The City of Kamloops says it costs about $20 per hour to house provincial prisoners but the province reimburses only about $6 to $10 per hour of that.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says it’s an issue being worked on within his industry.
“We know that the issue of the number of inmates at the Kamloops Corrections facility. Those numbers have come down somewhat, with the opening of the Okanagan Correctional Centre,” Farnworth says, referring to the jail on the Osoyoos Indian Band that opened in 2016.
“Part of the issue is related to the kind of prisoners, in particular the ability to house women prisoners. It is an issue we’re aware of, and an issue we’re working on within my ministry.”
Several Kamloops councillors met with Farnworth in late September to bring the concern to his attention.