This class action concerns abuse committed in Quebec against children placed in reception centres (also known as “youth centres”).
On September 7, 2022, the Superior Court authorized this class action against the Quebec government and 16 Integrated (university) health and social services centres (also known as CISSS or CIUSSS) on behalf of the following people:
Any person, save for an excluded person, who was placed, on or after October 1, 1950, in a centre as per a youth protection law, when he or she was 17 years old or less and who was subject to measures or who was sexually assaulted
NOTE: We invite you to consult the Authorization Judgment and the notices available below for more information, particularly on the terms and expressions identified in bold above.
One of the objectives of this class action is to obtain financial compensation for the victims of abuse committed in these institutions. (Please note that there is currently no judgment or settlement awarding such compensation).
The types of abuse for which financial compensation is sought are the following:
- isolation, confinement or being placed in a cell, a common room or in another locked room, with or without chemical (pharmacological) or mechanical restraint (straitjacket, chains, handcuffs or other). Some of these measures have been referred to as the “quiet room”, the “QT”, the “hole” or the “stop-action”.
- use of force or physical abuse
- forced administration of drugs or other chemical substances
- sexual abuses
We are working on preparing the case for trial. We send regular updates to everyone on our mailing list.
If you believe you have suffered any of the abuses mentioned above and would like to be kept informed of developments, we invite you to join our mailing list. Simply send an e-mail to ELCA@alexeevco.com (or use the form below). If you are unable to receive updates by e-mail, we also send them by regular mail.
Please note that our team has also initiated the following two class actions involving abuse also suffered in “youth centres” but raising separate or additional issues. We invite you to consult these pages or contact us if you would like more information:
- Inuit, Métis or members of a First Nation (Dandy v. Procureur général du Québec et al.)
- Persons placed under a Young Offenders Act (A.D. v. Procureur général du Québec et al.)