TORONTO – The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has approved a $15 million settlement in a class action lawsuit involving the use of secure isolation of youth inmates under the age of 18 in Ontario’s Youth Justice Facilities.
The lawsuit alleged that the Province of Ontario’s use of secure isolation in Youth Justice Facilities violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as other legal duties owed to youth inmates. The Province of Ontario has not admitted to these claims, and they have not been decided by a court.
Under the court-approved settlement, persons who while under the age of 18 were segregated for more than 6 consecutive hours at Youth Justice Facilities in Ontario may qualify for damages payments. The segregation must have occurred between April 1, 2004 and December 17, 2018 at one the following Ontario Youth Justice Facilities:
- Bluewater Youth Centre
- Brookside Youth Centre
- Cecil Facer Youth Centre
- Donald Doucet Youth Centre
- Invictus Youth Centre
- Justice Ronald Lester Youth Centre
- Roy McMurtry Youth Centre
- Sprucedale Youth Centre
- Toronto Youth Assessment Centre
Compensation for each qualifying placement in segregation is based on duration, and ranges from $1000 per placement to $40,000 per placement.
James Sayce, a partner at Koskie Minsky LLP, has stated that “the settlement provides real compensation for a vulnerable class. We believe it is a fair outcome after many years of hard-fought litigation”.
The deadline for class members to submit claims under the settlement is August 26, 2022.
Claim forms and additional information are available online at www.youthsegregationclassaction.ca. Class members may also contact the Claims Administrator by email to info@youthsegregationclassaction.ca or by calling toll-free 1-833-430-7538.
SOURCE Koskie Minsky LLP & Strosberg Sasso Sutts LLP