Yellowknife (Mar 21/03) - Justice Minister Roger Allen says the Territorial Women's Correctional Centre in Fort Smith needs to be replaced.

But members of the standing committee on accountability and oversight say the government hasn't provided them enough information outlining the inadequacy of the current facility to justify budgeting $10 million dollars for it.

"We need to look at replacement of the facility," Allen said.

The $10 million price tag is just an "infant projection," Allen said, and the plans to replace the facility are "very preliminary."

When asked to explain why the facility needs to be replaced, Allen explained he is waiting on word from the fire marshal who has been monitoring the building and is expected to report back with a cost analysis in the next year.

Glen Rutland, a spokesman for the NWT Department of Justice said the centre (built in the 1950's) opened in 1991.

The $10 million price tag for a new centre was arrived at simply based on the cost of similar centres that house minimum to maximum levels of security.