Cement is now being poured for Surrey's new expanded corrections centre.
B.C. Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond said the 216-cell expansion at Surrey Pretrial Services Centre will be complete, on time and on budget, in 2013, and it will be the largest corrections centre in the province.
The $90-million expansion will create between 200 and 250 jobs during construction and will provide 130 new corrections positions upon completion.
During a stop at the construction site Thursday morning, Bond said that new state-of-the-art security systems mean the facility will provide a safer operating environment for both staff and inmates.
In addition, the project is expected to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification – the highest level of sustainability ever for a B.C. correctional facility.