The Quebec government is introducing new measures to prevent contraband from entering its detention facilities. A 12-month pilot project will be implemented at the Roberval Detention Centre, situated 350 kilometers northeast of Montreal, where inmates will be required to wear uniforms starting in September.
Wearing uniforms will streamline the search process, differentiate inmates from staff and visitors, and eliminate any indications of affiliation with criminal groups that could incite violence, according to a news release from the Public Security Ministry. Currently, individuals incarcerated in Quebec detention centers wear their own clothes.
Isabelle Mailloux, the director of the Rèseau correctionnel de Montréal, highlighted the challenges posed by inmates using their personal clothing to smuggle illicit items like drugs in recent years. Mailloux mentioned that drugs are often concealed in clothing seams or shoes, but sometimes more innovative methods are employed, such as soaking clothes in illicit substances.
The pilot project is part of a broader initiative to enhance security in Quebec’s detention facilities, with the government having invested $35 million in 2023 for this purpose. The uniforms will include basic and comfortable attire like cotton-polyester T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shorts, shoes, socks, and underwear. The choice of the Roberval facility for the pilot is due to its sewing workshop where inmates can manufacture their pants.
Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière stated in the news release that the initiative aims to promote social reintegration through employment. Currently, nine provinces, one territory, and Correctional Service Canada already mandate inmate uniforms. The decision to make uniforms mandatory across Quebec will be based on the outcomes of the pilot project.
In addition to the uniform implementation, the government is enhancing disciplinary measures. Amendments to the Règlement d’application de la Loi sur le système correctionnel du Québec will enable staff at Quebec’s detention centers to report misconduct in a broader range of scenarios, including incidents involving prohibited substances and items delivered by drones.
Addressing the increasing drone incidents, Mailloux referred to them as a significant issue that the government has been combating. Statistics from Quebec’s correctional services network indicated 1,521 drone sightings at detention centers between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, with 234 sightings from April to June of the current year.
The revised disciplinary system will allow disciplinary committees to impose harsher penalties for severe misconduct, such as smuggling cellphones or causing damage to infrastructure. These penalties may involve community service, suspension of canteen privileges, or extended periods of isolation, taking into consideration the inmates’ physical and mental well-being.