The Quebec government is set to implement new strategies to prevent contraband from infiltrating its correctional facilities. A 12-month trial initiative will mandate inmates at the Roberval Detention Centre, situated 350 kilometers northeast of Montreal, to wear standardized uniforms starting in September.
This move aims to streamline security procedures, distinguish inmates from personnel and visitors, and eliminate indications of ties to criminal groups that may incite violence, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry. Presently, detainees in Quebec prisons wear their own attire.
Isabelle Mailloux, the director of the Montreal Correctional Network, highlighted issues arising from inmates using their clothing to smuggle illicit items like drugs. Mailloux noted that drugs are often concealed in clothing seams or footwear, but innovative methods, such as soaking garments in illegal substances, pose detection challenges.
The uniform ensemble will comprise basic and comfortable garments, including cotton-polyester T-shirts, long-sleeved sweatshirts, trousers, shorts, footwear, socks, and undergarments. The selection of the Roberval facility for the pilot was influenced by its in-house sewing workshop enabling inmates to craft their pants.
Quebec’s Minister of Public Security, Ian Lafrenière, emphasized the initiative’s aim of fostering “social reintegration through employment.” The government’s $35 million investment in 2023 underpins broader efforts to enhance security within Quebec’s correctional facilities.
Furthermore, Quebec plans to enhance disciplinary measures by amending the Regulations for the Application of the Quebec Correctional System Act, effective September 28. These revisions will empower detention center staff to report misconduct in a wider array of circumstances, including contraband delivered by drones.
Mailloux described drones as a persistent challenge that authorities have been combatting for years. Statistics from Quebec’s correctional services network reveal 1,521 drone sightings at detention centers between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, with 234 drone incidents reported from April to June of the current year.
The updated disciplinary regime will empower committees to mete out harsher penalties for grave offenses like smuggling cellphones or causing infrastructure damage. Sanctions may involve community service, suspension of canteen privileges, or extended periods of isolation, with considerations for the inmates’ well-being, both physical and psychological.
The success of the pilot project at Roberval will influence the decision on whether to mandate inmate uniforms across all Quebec detention facilities.