SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The federal government is on the cusp of awarding a $300,000 contract to the Salvation Army so it can house Northern offenders being transitioned into the community.

The Bailey House, pictured here in 2008 when it opened, is being looked at by the Correctional Service of Canada to house offenders on parole or community releases. - NNSL file photo

Ruth Gillingham, executive director of the Salvation Army in Yellowknife, said they approached the Correctional Service of Canada about setting up a Community Residential Facility (CRF) in the city.

A spokesperson with corrections said without a CRF in Yellowknife, offenders on community or conditional release, as well as those on parole with residency conditions, wouldn't have a place to go in the Northwest Territories.

Gillingham said the Salvation Army's NWT Resource Centre operated as a CRF for 15 years, but stopped in 2010. The last four years, the NWT has been without a place for federal offenders to transition into the community.

The contract for the facility looks like it's going to go to the Salvation Army, where it will accommodate up to four bed spaces in the Bailey House on 45 Street. The government tender closes May 28, and so far the Salvation Army is the only bidder.

In an e-mail to Yellowknifer, Gillingham explained why the facility is important to have in Yellowknife.

“Individuals in the correctional system will be returning to their communities. We can assist men to make a safe transition back into community life by providing safe accommodation, individual monitoring and daily programming/scheduling, general support and assistance in the reintegration process,” Gillingham wrote.

By providing the facility, she added, it will increase safety in the community by reducing the chance offenders will re-offend. Bailey House already gives housing to men who are released from custody, so there are full-time staff experienced in the field.

The contract for the facility is set to run one year starting in July, according to corrections officials.