Edmonton to demolish Remand Centre to make way for new developments

EDMONTON — Demolition is set to begin this year on the Edmonton Remand Centre.

Demolishing the site will make space for new developments in downtown Edmonton, reads a news release.

“The remand centre was built specifically as a corrections facility and it would not be cost effective for the government or private sector to repurpose for any other use,” writes the City of Edmonton.

The centre has not housed inmates since 2013 and was decommissioned in 2019, saving approximately $1 million per year in upkeep costs.

Demolition of the 18,500 square metre site built in 1979 is scheduled to begin in June and will take roughly 18 months.

“Fiscal responsibility matters and demolishing this unused facility is the best choice for Alberta’s bottom line,” said Nathan Neudorf, Alberta’s minister of infrastructure, in the release.