Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe speaks in Winnipeg on Friday, November 15, 2024. (CHRISD.CA FILE)
The Manitoba government is doubling the number of GPS ankle monitors used to track offenders released on bail.
The province announced on Thursday in Brandon a $1.2 million boost to its electronic monitoring program.
“We’re cracking down on repeat offenders by expanding the electronic monitoring program and doubling the number of ankle monitors to help keep people safe,” said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.
“We’ve heard from people across the province about the impact crime has had in their communities and they want repeat offenders held accountable to the release conditions.”
The expansion will bring the total number of devices to 200 and raise the province’s investment in the program to $2.7 million for 2025. The move aims to improve public safety by holding repeat offenders more accountable to bail conditions.
Launched in August 2024, the program currently has all 100 devices in use, monitoring 321 individuals. The system alerts authorities in real-time if an offender enters a restricted area or breaches conditions.
The program, which began in Winnipeg, has since expanded to Brandon, Souris, Portage la Prairie, Steinbach, Dauphin, Selkirk, and Winkler. Future growth will include northern communities.
The province is also preparing to launch new curfew monitoring technology using biometric ID and video conferencing to reduce the need for in-person checks. Commissionaires Manitoba oversees the monitoring program.
Watch Thursday’s news conference:
