Correctional Investigator reports inflammatory sprays were used in 38% of self-harm use-of-force incidents at CSC treatment centres; CSC rejected the call to stop
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The Office of the Correctional Investigator's 2024-25 annual report found that Correctional Service Canada's five Regional Treatment Centres, its in-prison psychiatric hospitals, put security ahead of care and over-rely on force against patients. Over five fiscal years, inflammatory sprays or munitions were used in 38% (139 of 366) of use-of-force incidents at the centres that responded to self-injury or attempted suicide; the centres held about 4% of federal prisoners but accounted for 10% of all use-of-force incidents in 2024-25. In its response dated 5 May 2026, CSC rejected the recommendation that it stop using inflammatory sprays as a first response to self-harm, and in a separate response Public Safety Canada rejected the call to redirect a $1.3 billion treatment-centre rebuild toward transfers to community psychiatric hospitals.
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