Ontario's Premier Accountability Dashboard · Queen's Park Watch
Michael Kerzner
Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General
Michael Kerzner is Ontario's Solicitor General, responsible for the provincial correctional system. He was briefed on the pattern of 157 improper inmate releases as early as January 2025. When Global News broke the story in April 2026, Kerzner told the Ontario legislature at least six times that every improperly released inmate had been caught "instantaneously" and "immediately." FOI documents obtained by Global News showed that was false — inmates had been missing for months. Kerzner apologized "unreservedly" to the legislature, characterizing his false statements as a matter of "imprecision."
Connected Scandals
Over 157 inmates were improperly released from Ontario's dangerously overcrowded provincial jails between 2021 and 2025 — six remain at large as of April 2026. Solicitor General Michael Kerzner told the legislature they were all caught "instantaneously." Global News FOI documents proved that was false. Kerzner apologized "unreservedly." At the same Maplehurst facility running at 175% capacity, correctional officers zip-tied 200 inmates in their underwear for two days — and a judge stayed first-degree murder charges as a result.
As Solicitor General, Kerzner is directly responsible for Ontario's provincial correctional system. He was briefed on the improper release pattern in January 2025. He told the legislature at least six times that all improperly released inmates had been caught "instantaneously" — a claim directly contradicted by FOI documents showing inmates had been missing for months. He apologized "unreservedly." As of April 2026, 6 inmates remain at large.