A Federal Court judge has ordered Correctional Service Canada to begin the process of installing air conditioning in a secure unit at the Edmonton Institution for Women, ruling that prison officials failed to adequately address extreme heat despite complaints stretching back two decades.

In a July 16 decision, Justice Meaghan Conroy found that Correctional Service Canada had known for years about problems regulating temperatures in the secure unit but had failed to implement an effective solution.

"The excessively high temperatures have caused inmates to suffer panic attacks, psychological distress, and sleep deprivation," Conroy wrote. "It is a long-standing problem." 

The court heard evidence that one inmate housed in a corner cell known as "the oven" experienced temperatures exceeding 40 C, while another affidavit described severe discomfort caused by prolonged heat.

Go Ad Free

Justice Conroy was also critical of Correctional Service Canada's record-keeping, noting that although officials claimed they routinely monitored temperatures in the secure unit, they kept no written records of those readings.

Rather than immediately ordering air conditioning to be installed, Conroy directed Correctional Service Canada to begin recording temperatures and seek authorization to install a permanent cooling system.

The ruling comes as the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal prepares to hear a broader complaint brought by the John Howard Society of Canada, alleging federal prisons have failed to protect older and medically vulnerable inmates from dangerous heat conditions. Earlier this month, the Canadian Human Rights Commission referred that complaint to the tribunal, finding there was sufficient basis to proceed.

Correctional Service Canada said it is reviewing the Federal Court decision. In the meantime, the agency says it relies on measures such as increased access to cold water, ice, cool showers, air-conditioned common areas, dehumidifiers and overnight ventilation to reduce heat inside institutions.