Those involved hope it will shed light on the treatment of mentally ill people in custody.
Kim Pate of the Elizabeth Fry Societies in Canada says everyone should be concerned about how many young people might become another Ashley Smith.
She says nothing will bring Ashley back but the hope is that the inquest will prevent future deaths like this.
Ashley Smith was 19 when she died nearly five years ago at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ontario.
She had spent most of the last year of her life in segregation.
