A new 112-bed Intermittent Centre at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC) is ready to house weekend inmates.

The facility is designed to help with issues of overcrowding and stopping the flow of contraband into EMDC.

Queen's Park spent $9.3 million on the 22,00 sq. foot centre that will house weekend prisoners.

Officials at the jail say weekend inamtes are sometimes pressured or bribed to to bring in drugs or weapons from the full-time inmates.

They hope this new separate facility will curb smuggling and overcrowding.