Kent Institution, building in British Columbia, Canada
Kent Institution is a maximum-security prison for men in British Columbia and the only facility of its kind in Canada's Pacific region. The complex holds about 378 federally sentenced inmates within grey concrete buildings enclosed by fences, gates, and watchtowers.
Kent Institution opened in 1979 as a replacement for the older BC Penitentiary and in response to plans for smaller maximum-security facilities. The grounds share land with the adjacent Mountain Institution on a federal reserve.
The location is near the towns of Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs in the upper Fraser Valley and is reachable by road. Visitors should be aware of strict security measures, access restrictions, and designated visiting hours.
In 1990, an unusual escape attempt occurred when a helicopter landed in the prison yard and two inmates fled, with a correctional officer being shot during the incident. The facility shares its grounds with Mountain Institution and is often referred to as a sister facility to a maximum-security prison in Edmonton.
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