N.L. proceeds with HMP replacement after accepting sole applicant

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has selected a private company to help build a replacement for Her Majesty's Penitentiary, a notoriously old jail that dates back to the Victorian era.

New Avalon Corrections Partners a corporate entity led by Plenary Americas and PCL Investments was the sole bidder in the province's request for proposals.

The provincial infrastructure department announced Thursday that it has deemed the group sufficiently qualified and will be moving forward.

"The department will provide more information in the coming weeks on the next steps in the procurement process," reads a press release from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Thursday's announcement marks the second time Andrew Furey's Liberalgovernmenthas gone down this road.

It issued a request for qualificationsin 2021, followed by a request for proposals. Plenary Americas was ultimately chosen as the private partner for the new facility, but as years passed without shovels breaking ground, the cost of the project soared.

That led the province back to the drawing board in December, reissuing the request for qualifications and asking bidders to pare down their plans for the penitentiary.

In the end, New Avalon Correctional Partners was the only entity to step forward.

In an interview in late March, Justice Minister John Hogan said he's confident the province will have a new facility within three years.

"Our government remains committed to a new penitentiary, one that is fiscally responsible to taxpayers, and meets the evolving needs of staff and inmates," he said in a press release Thursday. "Now that the parameters of this project have been re-evaluated, the next phase of the process can begin."

The request for qualifications will be followed by a request for proposals, where New Avalon Correctional Partners will have to submit its plan todesign, build, finance and maintain the new facility.

While that process is ongoing, the province is spending millions on temporary upgrades for the staff and inmates at Her Majesty's Penitentiary.

The facility, parts of which date back to 1850, regularly deals with rodent infestations and poor heating and cooling. Staffing issues have resulted in interruptions to programming and recreation, resulting in inmates being confined to their ranges for long periods of time.

The province has committed $15 million over the next two years for infrastructure upgrades, including new outdoor recreational spaces and trailers for programming.

There's also a commitment to hire 50 new correctional officers in the province, with most going to HMP.

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