CAPP was formed in response to the Ford government’s abrupt announcement to build a provincial prison in the small town of Kemptville (population 4,000), without consulting the municipality - contrary to obligations under the Planning Act.  The decision ignored the Provincial Policy Statement protecting agricultural land and failed to respect Kemptville’s Official Plan.

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The chosen site would pave over prime farmland, destroy heritage buildings from the former Kemptville Agricultural College, demolish a community arena, divert a tributary of Barnes Creek, build on a floodplain, and threaten species at risk. The site didn’t even meet the government’s own site selection criteria.

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CAPP actively opposed the project, supporting two public interest litigants who challenged the government’s failure to follow provincial laws and policies.  The government spent tax dollars to fight the case and ultimately blocked it from being heard in court.

 

CAPP relied on expert analysis and research to challenge the province’s claims that a new prison would benefit the small community. In doing so, we uncovered the following:

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1. Provincial prisons are extremely costly to finance, build, and operate - far more expensive than community-based alternatives that actually improve safety and well-being.

2. Ontario’s bail system is deeply flawed, leading to overcrowded jails disproportionately filled with Black and Indigenous people, as well as individuals with mental health issues and addictions. Instead of providing support, the province imprisons people who need help.

3. Conditions in provincial prisons are inhumane. Facilities like the $1 billion Toronto South Detention Centre are notorious for constant lockdowns, poor conditions, and high staff turnover - earning it the nickname “hell hole.”

4. Incarceration doesn’t work. Decades of criminological research show that prison is the least effective way to reduce crime or support rehabilitation.
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CAPP was founded in response to the Ford government’s dismissive approach to small communities, its disregard for the Planning Act and policy statements, and what we’ve since learned about provincial incarceration. As a result, CAPP has evolved into a coalition opposing all provincial prison expansion - plans that communities didn’t ask for and that experts say are unnecessary for achieving public safety and well-being.

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Since our creation, both the political landscape and our organization have changed. We've fought the Kemptville prison proposal on multiple fronts and now believe the lessons we've learned can help support broader efforts against prison expansion across Ontario. In this way, CAPP has become a true Coalition Against Proposed Prisons.

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The CAPP Team

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