The skies above Quebec’s detention centers are becoming increasingly hostile. Drones, loaded with contraband like tobacco, drugs, and cell phones, are buzzing overhead on a near-daily basis, posing a significant and growing threat to security.

Official statistics paint a stark picture. Between January and March alone, correctional staff reported a staggering 274 drone sightings over provincial facilities – that’s more than three attempts per day! And this figure doesn’t even account for the ten federally-managed prisons within the province.

Despite millions of dollars invested by both provincial and federal governments in countermeasures, corrections spokespeople and drone experts agree: the problem is escalating, dangerous, and incredibly difficult to contain. Stéphane Blackburn, managing director for Quebec’s correctional services, succinctly summarizes the challenge: “This is something we face every day.”