The province is changing how people leave its correctional centres.
Officials said a new planning system is meant to improve safety and support people returning to the community.
The Department of Justice and Public Safety explained that the new process creates a consistent approach to release planning across all provincial correctional centres.
The department added that individuals will now be assessed earlier in their stay so staff can identify risks, determine support needs and begin planning for release as soon as possible.
Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin said the updated approach strengthens how staff assess needs, plan for release and connect people with services.
“This work is about improving outcomes for individuals leaving custody, reducing the risk of reoffending and supporting safer and healthier communities,” Gauvin said in a government release.
He also said the changes complement the broader work underway through the homelessness task force.
The new framework applies to people held on remand and those serving sentences.
Officials said people with shorter stays will receive help with immediate needs such as identification, housing and basic supports.
“For individuals who are in custody longer, staff will provide more detailed planning and case management,” the department said.
It added that previous discharge planning focused mainly on sentenced individuals.
To support the new system, the department said it reassigned existing resources to create a provincial discharge and reintegration co‑ordinator.
“The goal is to reduce the number of people leaving custody without stable housing or access to essential services,” the department said.
The co‑ordinator will work with correctional staff, health‑care providers, probation officers and community partners to help people secure housing, identification and other supports before release.
The initiative is part of the broader work of the ministerial task force on homelessness, which is coordinating efforts across government to strengthen services and reduce homelessness across the province.
