A new jail previously slated to be built outside of Fredericton will now be constructed in Minto, the province announced Monday.
Officials said in a press release the facility will be located on roughly 22 acres of land on Industrial Park Road in Minto, roughly 75 kilometres from Fredericton.
The decision comes months after the province approached the City of Fredericton about building a new $32 million jail in the Vanier Industrial Park.
It faced pushback from residents, who raised concerns that their property values could decrease due to the proximity to the proposed jail.
Government officials say the Minto facility, expected to cost $42 million, will have a treed buffer to help isolate it from other properties.
They noted there are few residential properties in the immediate surrounding area.
Kris Austin, New Brunswick’s minister of public safety, expressed support of a new jail in January due to what he called an “overcrowded” prison system and a rapidly increasing crime rate.
“The department has to be able to safely take care of those who are in jail and this means having proper facilities with enough space,” he said at the time.
Officials say a request for proposal for the facility’s design has been filed. An announcement will be made when a design has been chosen.
“Once a design has been finalized, we will be in a position to discuss an opening date for this much-needed facility,” said Austin.