Inmates from the Baffin Correctional Centre in Nunavut are being held in Whitehorse after a fire.
The Government of Yukon has an agreement in place with the Government of Nunavut to transfer up to 20 people who are on remand or serving a territorial sentence at the Baffin Correctional Centre to the Whitehorse Correctional Centre.
The arrival of the inmates from Nunavut occurred on Saturday, March 27, 2021, on a private chartered flight. Six staff members from the Government of Nunavut – one supervisor, four correctional officers and one registered nurse – are joining the team at Yukon Corrections. All inmates from Nunavut will be housed in one unit to limit contact with Yukon clients.
Following review by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, an alternative self-isolation plan for this emergency transfer was approved by the Deputy Minister of Community Services. The transfers are being facilitated by the Department of Justice through a formal Inmate Transfer Agreement between the Government of Nunavut and the Government of Yukon.