NAPE says correctional officers have been left behind when it comes to prioritizing workplace health and safety.

The province has gone back to the drawing board by calling a renewed Request for Qualifications for the replacement of HMP.

While government insists that shovels will be in the ground in 2025, the replacement of HMP has been a topic of discussion for decades.

NAPE President Jerry Earle says a new corrections centre is a priority, not only for inmates, but for the people who must work in the facility, day-in, day-out.

He says corrections officers are trained professionals and they are “forgotten every single time” when it comes to new infrastructure announcements.