Last week’s announcement of the closure of the Dauphin Correctional Centre has sent shockwaves through the community, and Dauphin MLA Brad Michaleski says he is aware of the impact.

Michaleski stressed that his primary focus going forward is to help the affected families.

“First and foremost, the number one concern of mine right now is the job losses and the families that are affected,” said Michaleski. “This is a hard announcement for the community and the families to hear, but first and foremost, it’s the effect on the families that I'm most concerned about."

Michaleski adds that the government will do its best to keep within the rules of the collective agreement with the MGEU while relocating the corrections staff.

The reason for the closure of the jail has to do with the age of the building, says Michaleski. He added that while the courthouse and the jail both need work, the jail would take a lot to bring up to current corrections standards.

“The jail is very old, and at the end of its service life,” said Michaleski. “There is capacity available, from a provincial perspective, to relocate the inmates to other facilities. Those are two contributing factors for sure.”

While the news of the closure of the jail is quite sad, Michaleski says he is excited about the improvements that the government is making to improve economic development in the Parkland.

Right after the announcement of the jail closure, Economic Development Minister Ralph Eichler announced that the province will be hosting an economic development tour to try and connect potential investors with opportunities in the Parkland.

Michaleski also said he continues to be excited about all the improvements being made to the Dauphin Regional Health Centre, including the recent announcement of expanded dialysis care in the Parkland.

“There are a lot of positive things that we’re doing,” said Michaleski. “I know this is a difficult decision for the community to hear, but all we can do is move forward and ensure that the employees and the families are looked after the best that we can.”