This proposed class action concerns abuse committed in Quebec against children placed in reception centres (also called “youth centres”) under a Young Offenders Act when they were 17 years old or under.
On October 4, 2023, the petitioner filed an application seeking authorization to institute a class action against 16 integrated (university and non-university) health and social services centres (also known as CISSS or CIUSSS) and the Quebec government.
One of the objectives of this class action is to obtain financial compensation for victims of abuse committed in these institutions while they were placed under a Young Offenders Act. (Please note that there is currently no judgment or settlement awarding such compensation).
The types of abuse for which financial compensation is sought are as follows:
- isolation, confinement or being placed in a cell, common room or other 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”.
- sexual abuse
- use of force or physical abuse
- forced administration of drugs or other chemical substances
We are working on preparing the file for the authorization hearing.
If you believe you have suffered any of the abuses listed above and would like to be kept informed of developments, we invite you to subscribe to this mailing list. Simply send an e-mail to ac@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 filed the following two class actions involving abuses 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 Youth Protection Act (E.L. v. Procureur général du Québec et al.)