Through a freedom-of-information request, Plumb uncovered documents revealing that the Ford government plans to add nearly 6,000 jail beds by 2050. By first sharing these documents with The Canadian Press as part of their research with the Carceral Geography (Col) laboratory and advocacy with the Coalition Against Proposed Prisons, they informed the public of a plan that they find concerning due to its scale and the priorities it reflects. "When I saw the numbers, my jaw hit the floor," Professor Piché said. "This is an unprecedented increase in jail capacity."
The impact of this research is based on rigorous financial and criminological analysis. Professor Piché estimates that this plan would cost at least $7 billion in construction alone, not including operating costs for 5,670 additional beds that would exceed $738 million per year on top of the more than $1.5 billion the province already spends on its jail system. According to him, such an investment raises important questions about the relevance of expanding jail capacity rather than strengthening approaches that more directly meet the needs of communities such as permanent and supportive housing units that are much cheaper, more effective and quicker to build.
This media presence helps make complex data accessible and fosters public debate on the use of public funds. By highlighting the scale of these investments, the work of Plumb and Piché invites reflection on the most appropriate responses to issues of community safety, justice, and collective well-being.
This commitment demonstrates the vitality of research at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences, where critical thinking, interdisciplinarity, and social innovation allow for a better understanding of our society's complex realities. Our researchers are dedicated to finding concrete, viable, and humane answers to the major challenges of today and tomorrow.