Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his solicitor general is doing an “incredible” job, although he is “furious” jails in the province have mistakenly released more than 150 inmates since 2021.

Documents obtained by Global News revealed provincially-run jails are routinely releasing inmates in error — an issue the internal notes predominantly blame on mistakes at jails, with some issues stemming from courts.

The problem was flagged in a briefing note to Solicitor General Michael Kerzner in January 2025, who only promised to “get to the bottom” of the issue when reporters began asking questions.

Premier Ford said on Thursday, “they had to pull me off the ceiling” when he was informed of the accidental releases taking place for years under his government.

“Totally unacceptable, two words, unacceptable,” he said at an unrelated news conference. “We’re going to find out what happened. We’re going to go to root cause, and we’re going to make sure not one single inmate, not one, gets out that door.”

The revelation led to scathing blowback at Queen’s Park from critics who claimed the government wasn’t adequately protecting the province and a rare admission from the minister in charge of Ontario’s prison system.

Kerzner appeared to shift the blame to non-partisan civil servants on Wednesday when he eventually spoke to reporters after a cabinet meeting.

The minister did not address repeated questions about why he had not looked into the issue of the accidental release of inmates until it was made public by Global News.

“I’m going to get to the bottom of why so many people — which is way too many — got improperly released,” he told reporters at Queen’s Park. “It’s unacceptable to me, it’s unacceptable to the premier.”

Despite being “absolutely furious” about the situation, Ford said Thursday he was delighted with Kerzner’s performance as solicitor general.

“I can tell you, Michael Kerzner is doing an incredible job. I told him it’s unacceptable,” he declared.

“I’m getting down to the root cause, and we’re not going to let one more person slip out of the door. It’s unheard of. I’m absolutely furious, to be honest with you.”

The premier then appeared to draw his attorney general into the controversy, pointing out that courts are also mistakenly releasing inmates.

“It happened in the courts, I understand as well,” he said. “But how do you get people mixed up? Like, you’ve got to be kidding me. It’s ridiculous.

“Anyway, so I am on this like no tomorrow. How do you let these people go? It’s ridiculous, unacceptable. And I’m going to be all over it. I am all over it right now.”

Data from 2021 to 2024 covering mistaken release of inmates suggested roughly two-thirds of the issues came from jails, while another third was through the courts.

The government determined 77 of 118 mistaken releases were because of “errors or oversight at the institutional level,” 39 were court errors, one was another stakeholder, and one case was thought to be a mistake but actually “determined to be proper.”

Attorney General Doug Downey did not take questions from reporters on Thursday after question period.

After question period, he started to leave through one door but returned inside after seeing a reporter. He then scrambled out a different door on the other side of the hallway, but was soon met by other reporters, who ran after him.

“I don’t have time,” he told reporters who caught up with him, after he made his way down the stairs at Queen’s Park.

Downey said he was meeting an old friend and a legislative page and couldn’t answer questions about his ministry. “That’s how I’m spending my time,” he added, before walking away.

The province’s jails are bursting and have been overcrowded for years. The situation is getting worse.

A backlogged court system, understaffed jails and longer jail stays for those accused of crimes all contribute to the problem.

The province has said about 80 per cent of inmates at any given time are in a provincial jail awaiting trial and presumptively innocent.

The Canadian Press obtained internal documents that show the province’s long-term plan is to build many more jails and upward of 6,000 new jail beds, which Kerzner has said will cost “billions and billions” of dollars and that he will spare no expense.

–with files from The Canadian Press

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