Temporary detention centres under the Youth Criminal Justice Act
Last revised June 16, 2025

The Youth Criminal Justice Act s. 30 states:

30(1) Subject to subsection (7), a young person who is detained in custody in relation to any proceedings against the young person shall be detained in a safe, fair and humane manner in any place of temporary detention that may be designated by the lieutenant governor in council of the province or his or her delegate or in a place within a class of places so designated.

There is one Youth Custody Services centre in BC designated as a place of secure custody for youth by OIC 931/2003:

Burnaby

7900 Fraser Park Drive 
Burnaby, BC V5J 5H1 
Ph: 778 452-2050 Fax: 778 452-2069

The centre is legally designated as a place of temporary detention and includes both secure and open custody living units as well as separate units for females in custody.

Authority to designate places of temporary detention

OIC 322/2017 effective September 1, 2017 enacted a schedule for the purposes of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Canada). Section 2 of the schedule states that:  

  1. The authority to designate a provincial director is delegated to the Minister of Children and Family Development.  
  2. The authority to designate places of temporary detention is delegated to the provincial director. 
  3. The authority to designate places of open custody for the purposes of the Young Offenders Act (Canada) is delegated to the provincial director.

OIC 322/2017 repealed and replaced the former schedule enacted by OIC 267/2003.

Background and history of Youth Custody Centre

There were formerly three Youth Custody Centres in British Columbia. One in Victoria, one in Prince George and the existing centre in Burnaby. In 2014 the Victoria centre was closed, citing a decline in the number of youth in custody. The Prince George Youth Custody Centre was closed on March 31, 2024 due to a stated further decrease in the number of youth being held in custody. The reduction was stated to be attributed to changes made to the Youth Criminal Justice Act in 2019 intended to limit youth incarceration in favour of community based youth justice programs.

Orders in Council regarding designated places of secure custody: OIC 267/2003, 931/2003, 605/2004, 429/2007, 463/2014, 322/2017, 300/2024

Content reviewed June 16, 2025

 

References