Matsqui Institution is a federal medium-security prison facility in

Abbotsford, British Columbia Abbotsford is a city located in British Columbia, adjacent to the Canada–United States border, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser River. With an estimated population of 153,524 people it is the largest municipality in the province outside metrop ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, about 70 kilometres east of

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

. The Institution is operated by the

Correctional Service of Canada The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC; french: Service correctionnel du Canada), also known as Correctional Service Canada or Corrections Canada, is the Canadian federal government agency responsible for the incarceration and rehabilitation of ...

and was opened in 1966. Accommodations for the general population are provided in a three-story living unit with a central core of security control posts. Matsqui provides a number of basic programs, as well as vocational training programs and the Aboriginal Basic Healing Program, which focuses on First Nations. Work is completed to increase capacity at the Institution. Construction of one new 96-bed living unit has been completed and was opened in 2013.

Management

Warden: Bobbi SANDHU Deputy Warden: Jennifer CAPRICCI

Facility characteristics

*Institution for male offenders *Security level: medium *Date opened: 1966 *Number of employees: 313 Average length of sentences: **Less than 40 months: 31 per cent of inmates **40 months and over: 50 per cent of inmates **Life sentence: 19 per cent of inmates

Major incidents

June 2, 1981: Major riot, 300 inmates seized control of the facility, torching seven of the prison's buildings and causing millions of dollars' worth of damage. Actions taken by Corporal Patrick Aloysius Kevin McBride during the riot to rescue eight staff members from a burning roof led to his receiving a second medal of honour for heroism in the same year from the

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

. January 2005: Lockdown and search of the institution discovered one round of ammunition, cell phone, cell phone charger, tattoo needles, small amounts of drugs (marijuana), homemade alcohol, and a homemade knife. There was also unsubstantiated information about possible escape planning. August 2008: Inmate stabbed, airlifted to hospital January 2008: Major disturbance involving upwards of 170 inmates in the recreational yard lighting fires and damaging property. ERT called in.> December 10, 11, & 12, 2009: Multiple near-fatal overdoses December 21, 2009: Contraband package found in a tree inside perimeter fence. Contained 10 packages of tobacco. December 27, 2009: Three inmates sent to outside hospital after being assaulted, one stabbed. March 2010: Inmate Assault April 2010: Two large packages of contraband intercepted at perimeter fence. Contained tobacco, cell phones, narcotics. May 2010: Inmate assaulted causing a lockdown. Brew (homemade alcohol) found November 4, 2010: Lockdown and exceptional search of the institution due to numerous inmates requesting protection and the finding of a sharp-edged weapon, drugs, tobacco and other unauthorized materials. Officers also had to respond to an inmate fight just prior to the lock down. January 12, 2011: An inmate was found to have been seriously assaulted. The injured inmate was escorted to outside hospital for treatment, and the institution was immediately placed on lockdown. April 2011: Inmate Assault September 12, 2011: Torben Campbell, an inmate, died while at outside hospital for treatment. January 2012: Inmate stabbed, institution locked down.

References

External links

* {{official, https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/institutions/001002-5005-eng.shtml Prisons in British Columbia Correctional Service of Canada institutions Buildings and structures in Abbotsford, British Columbia 1966 establishments in British Columbia