INUVIK - Inuvik's Arctic Tern female young offenders centre that opened in 2002 will close its doors March 31, 2011 in anticipation of a new facility that is planned to open in 2014 in Fort Smith.

The centre, which hasn't housed an offender since Oct. 23, has been underused since the federal Youth Criminal Justice Act came into effect in 2003. Under the act, judges must justify any decision to send a youth into custody rather than into a community-justice program.

When the legislation changed, all offenders in the facility that can house up to 14 women were released.

In 2010, the $6.1 million 900-square-metre facility has had an average count of less than one offender per day. At its peak in March 2006, the facility held nine women and since opening, it has admitted approximately 100.

The 2010 operating budget is $1,946,000, which translates to more than $5,300 a day whether there are inmates in custody or not.

Sylvia Haener, assistant deputy minister of the Department of Justice, said the timing of the new legislation was unfortunate.

"We were faced with a situation where years had gone into planning a new facility ... and almost within months of it opening we had a change in legislation, which drove the number of female young offenders and male young offenders down, so (Arctic Tern has) never been utilized to its potential."

Colin Gordon, director of corrections for Department of Justice, said the move out of the facility isn't about the money.

"It's about doing the right thing for female offenders," he said. "With one or two or three offenders in custody, we can't create the economies of scale necessary to operate the kind of programing we need, hence the move to Fort Smith."

The new facility, which is set to open in 2014, is in the preliminary stages, he said, so it's unknown how much it will cost, how many women it will house or what it will look like, but it will house both adult and youth female offenders.

"Obviously they'll be sleeping in different places," he said. "They will never be in contact with each other. What we want to share are the staffing, the program areas and the program staff."

He said the purpose is to ensure there is adequate programming for women.

Gordon said there is no guarantee the facility will be built because it hasn't yet received building approval from the GNWT.

Young female offenders put into custody after March 31, 2011 will go to the North Slave Young Offenders Facility in Yellowknife, where both male and female young offenders will be held.

Gordon said there will be minor upgrades to the current facility to meet the needs of both the male and female youth.

There are six full-time positions and seven relief positions moving to Yellowknife from Inuvik. When the new facility is opened, they will then move to Fort Smith.

Three full-time positions, five relief positions and one manager position will be eliminated.

Gordon said there are efforts being made to find new positions for the three current full-time employees whose jobs are being eliminated.

It is unknown at this point if the existing Territorial Women's Correctional Centre in Fort Smith will receive renovations to accommodate the youth offenders or if a brand new facility will be built.

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