At their last meeting, Council unanimously passed a motion advocating for the future of Kingston Penitentiary, urging the federal government to remove it from a list of potential properties for housing development.
Counc. Brandon Tozzo supported the motion, stating, “This is the Alcatraz of the North, and the fact that this could be taken away by the federal government at the stroke of a pen is so infuriating.”
Kingston Penitentiary has become a significant tourist attraction, attracting 605,000 visitors and generating a total economic impact of more than $54 million since it opened its doors to the public.
To ensure that Canada’s oldest penitentiary and Kingston’s number one tourist attraction is preserved, the city is also asking for either a long-term lease or a transfer of the property to Parks Canada.
