Surrey Pretrial Services Centre Expansion Project

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Opportunity The B.C. Ministry of Justice and Attorney General (JAG) operates nine correctional centres in the province.  The Surrey Pretrial Services Centre (SPSC), located in the City of Surrey, incarcerates inmates who have been remanded into custody pending trial or sentence; offenders sentenced to less than two years; offenders awaiting transfer to other facilities; and individuals retained under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Since it opened in 1991, inmate populations across B.C. have significantly increased and demand for cell capacity is exceeding supply. The B.C. Corrections Branch had maximized capacity in each centre as much as possible; however all continue to operate above optimal levels. In October 2009, the Province announced a $185 million capital plan aimed at reducing overcrowding, enhancing supervision and management of offenders, and improving the correctional environment for staff and inmates. The SPSC project was a key element of this strategy. Innovations The first P3 for a correctional facility in B.C. included the following terms in the Project Agreement: The private partner was responsible for arranging approximately half of construction financing; The province made $47.5 million in construction milestone payments based on a percentage of the eligible construction costs incurred in a specific month; BIPS’s service payments were based on the principles of performance, service quality and facility availability incenting them to meet or exceed requirements; and The agreement sets out in detail the private partner’s responsibility for monitoring energy consumption, meeting annual energy targets and for the preparation of an energy management plan. Results The project included the construction of two new wings to the north and west of the existing SPSC with six living units—each with 36 cells— for a total of 216 high-security cells. The project included renovation of existing areas for programs, food services and administration, and the reorganization of the admissions/discharge and visiting areas. All correctional services will continue to be funded by the Province and delivered by the B.C. Corrections Branch. The design features security enhancements that support correctional staff in the management of inmates in both the existing and expanded facility such as strategically located pod control units permitting simultaneous oversight of several living units, allowing broader surveillance. The SPSC expansion was designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, the highest level of sustainability achieved to date in a correctional facility in B.C. Benefits include improved indoor air quality, reduced energy and water consumption, and abundant natural light. “I am happy to report the SPSCE P3 procurement process achieved financial close in June 2011 expeditiously and effectively, the procurement process employed was tremendously successful and I believe we have just set a new standard in our province in the delivery of correctional facilities. Utilizing a P3 procurement process was critical for the success of the project in achieving a final project agreement that resulted in a performance-based fixed-price contract with effective risk transfer, while delivering exceptional value for taxpayers’ dollars” - Shirley Bond, former Solicitor General, B.C. Ministry of Justice and Attorney General “The Surrey Pretrial Services Centre expansion reflects what we can achieve for communities and taxpayers through a fixed-price, performance-based, public-private partnership. This was the first public-private partnership venture in B.C. for a corrections project and I would like to thank all the partners involved, namely: Shared Services BC, BC Corrections, Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerships Surrey and Partnerships BC for delivering this project on time and within budget.” - Andrew Wilkinson, former Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services Learn more at: Case Studies

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