Closure of minimum-security unit (The Annex) at FVI

Wellness Within: An Organization for Health and Justice (WW) is a registered non-profit organization in Nova Scotia that provides support, education and advocacy with for people who are pregnant or parenting young children and experiencing criminalization. We support people at the Nova Institution for Women and the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility (provincial jail). WW is a leading voice for reproductive justice in Nova Scotia.

We urge immediate action to address the recent displacement of people, including a mother and baby, from the Fraser Valley Institution minimum security unit, known as the Annex, to the main (general population) facility. We have heard this decision was for staffing reasons or is COVID-19-related. The action is unjustifiable, even temporarily.

During the pandemic, WW has advocated for the release of incarcerated people to prevent disease transmission, morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in prisons in Canada. To move people from the Annex, where there is greater personal space and autonomy, to medium security infrastructure and operations, is harmful and increases the daily danger people will experience. If the Annex is unfit for use, community placement is the only ethical and safe alternative.