South West Detention Centre in Windsor now accepting inmates

Inmates are now being transferred in to the new South West Detention Centre in Windsor.

The first ones began arriving on Monday.

• VIDEO | Tour the South West Detention Centre

Brent Ross, with the Ministry of Correctional Services, says the transfer is taking place in stages.

"I can't get into specifics for security reasons on where inmates are coming from. But obviously our priority would be on the two facilities that have closed or that will be closing, which would be the Chatham jail that has closed and the Windsor jail, which will be closing once the inmates have transferred out."

The Chatham and Windsor jails will eventually close and be decommissioned now that the new South West Detention Centre is operating.

"I can't get into specifics for security reasons on where inmates are coming from. But obviously our priority would be on the two facilities that have closed or that will be closing, which would be the Chatham jail that has closed and the Windsor jail, which will be closing once the inmates have transferred out," Ross said.

Ross expects the transfer to be complete in mid-fall.

The maximum-security facility has room for 315 inmates, both men and women.