Changes to Correctional Facilities Visits to Prevent COVID-19

In the interest of the health and safety of inmates, their families, Correctional Services staff and the public, Nova Scotia’s correctional facilities will be closed to volunteer organizations until further notice, effective immediately.

Family and friend visits to inmates will also be restricted to non-contact visits effective immediately. Non-contact visits mean that an inmate and the person visiting are separated by a glass partition and use a phone system to talk to one another.

During this time, inmates will be able to make two free phone calls each week to their friends and family.

These public health safety measures apply to the Nova Scotia Youth Centre in Waterville, and the province’s four adult correctional facilities: the Cape Breton Correctional Facility in Sydney; the Central Nova Correctional Facility in Dartmouth; the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Priestville, Pictou Co. and the Southwest Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Yarmouth.

There are no changes, at this time, to the protocols for visits by lawyers.

These safety measures are being made with the guidance of public health officials and will be reassessed on a daily basis. Nova Scotia Correctional Services works closely with public health officials to ensure plans are in place at all times to mitigate the spread of any contagious virus or disease in the province’s correctional facilities.

Additional Resources:

Provincial Government Public Health Website: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus