After months of protesting the provincial government followed through and closed jails in Walkerton and Owen Sound on Sunday.
Walkerton Mayor David Inglis calls it, "another hit" to the small town.
45 jobs will leave the town with 5,000 residents.
Inglis worries about the economic footing of the small town, "When you lose 45 jobs out of the economy and spin off besides that it hurts the community."
The decision to close the jail in Walkerton was made last spring by the province. Facilities in Owen Sound also closed on Sunday. Next year, the jail in Sarnia is slated to close.
The jail in Walkerton was built in 1866, one year before confederation. The government says maintenance costs were a contributing factor to its closure.
"We recognize that change is difficult. And we have to make some tough decisions to make sure our province remain on strong financial footing", says Madeleine Meilleur, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
Prisoners will be transported to facilities in Penetanguishene. Meilleur has been quoted as saying that it costs the province $275 per day to keep an inmate at the Walkerton and Owen Sound jails versus $175 at a larger facility.
Residents bandied together to try and save their jails. More than 14,000 signatures were collected over several months in an effort to persuade the provincial government to keep the three facilities open.
Barb Ernest chairs a committee dedicated to trying to save the jail. She says the figures produced by the province neglect prisoner transportation, "Our committee did prove that by closing our jail they were not going to save the money that they predicted, simply because you have to transport our inmates now from our community to Penetang, which is three hours away on way."
