Ottawa will be closing Kingston Penitentiary, Canada's most notorious maximum-security prison in the next two years, the government announced on Thursday morning.

"Kingston Penitentiary opened its doors in 1835, well before Confederation," Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

"The time has come to recognize its crumbling infrastructure, costly upkeep and severe limitations in effectively managing a population of maximum-security male offenders," he added.

Kingston Penitentiary, which can hold 421 inmates, currently holds some of Canada's worst criminals, including serial killers Paul Bernardo and Russell Williams. More than 460 employees work there. Kingston's inmates will be sent to maximum-security units at other facilities, Minister Toews said.

A second prison, the medium-security Leclerc prison north of Montreal will also be closed in the next two years. That prison can hold 288 inmates and employs 358 people, according to Correctional Service Canada.

Closing both prisons will save around $120-million a year, Toews said. He also said that the staff at these prisons should be able to find work at facilities near Kingston and Montreal.

Toews cited security concerns such as bad sightlines and bars that "allowed inmates to throw objects at staff," as some of the issues with older facilities like Kingston and Leclerc.

The government has faced criticism over a possible rise in the prison population due to new rules in the Conservative Omnibus Crime Bill. But the government has said that it is not planning to build new prisons because it has not seen a rise in the prison population from tougher penalties enacted in previous legislation.

"Every step of the way, our government was told by our opponents that our policies would create a wave of inmates that would swamp the correctional system. Quite simply they have not arrived," Toews said.

In the latest budget, the government indicated that new cells will be built at existing facilities across Canada.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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• The 9 Key Changes In The Tory Crime Bill

  With files from <em>The Canadian Press</em>. (CP/Alamy)

• 9. Bringing Prisoners Home

  Provides the government, through the minister of Public Safety, more discretion to decide if a Canadian imprisoned abroad can transfer home to serve his or her sentence. (Getty)

• 8. Rights For Terror Victims

  Introduces new measures to allow victims of terrorist acts to sue responsible individuals, groups or state sponsors in Canadian courts. (Alamy)

• 7. Denying Work Permits

  Gives the Immigration minister new powers to deny work permits to foreigners based on the rationale they may be exploited. (Alamy)

• 6. Victims Get More Say In Parole

  Provides victims of crime more say in parole decisions under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. Increases size of parole board by 25 per cent. (Alamy)

• 5. Fewer Conditional Sentences

  Reduces sharply the use of conditional sentences, such as house arrest, for a variety of property and other offences. (Jupiter Images)

• 4. Pardons Harder To Get

  Changes the pardons system and makes certain ex-convicts, such as some sex offenders and repeat offenders, ineligible for life. Essentially doubles the waiting period for pardon eligibility to five years for summary offences and 10 years for indictable offences. Replaces the term "pardon" by "record suspension." (Alamy)

• 3. Harsher Sentences For Young Offenders

  Sets tougher penalties for young offenders, including mandatory consideration of adult sentences and possible publication ban removal for violent crimes. Expands the definition of violent crime to include reckless acts that don't actually cause harm. (Alamy)

• 2. Mandatory Minimums For Sex Crimes

  Establishes new mandatory minimum sentences and longer maximums for sex crimes against minors, including the addition of two new offences related to grooming or luring minors. (Alamy)

• 1. Mandatory Minimums For Drug Crimes

  Provides new mandatory minimum sentences for drug offences related to production and distribution, including mandatory sentences for growing as few as six pot plants. Doubles maximum sentences to 14 years from seven. Offers potential exemptions for those entering drug treatment programs. (Getty)