Home / Crime and Justice / $30M Settlement for Vancouver School Abuse
$30M Settlement for Vancouver School Abuse
1 Aug
Summary
- Vancouver College and St. Thomas More settled a $30 million lawsuit.
- The suit alleged abuse by Christian Brothers transferred from Mount Cashel.
- Former students cited mental health and relationship challenges.
The B.C. Supreme Court has approved a $30 million settlement for a class-action lawsuit involving Vancouver College and St. Thomas More. This settlement addresses historical claims of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse at the two Metro Vancouver schools.
The lawsuit alleged that members of the Christian Brothers of Ireland in Canada were transferred to these schools from the Mount Cashel orphanage in St. John's, Newfoundland. Mount Cashel gained notoriety for child abuse suffered between the 1950s and 1970s. Four individuals transferred to Vancouver were later criminally convicted when Mount Cashel's abuse became public in the 1990s.
Over 200 individuals joined the class action, detailing suffering and witnessing abuse that led to mental health issues, relationship problems, and substance abuse. The court found no hesitation in approving the settlement, which includes a confidential claims process designed to spare victims the trauma of a trial. While most class members did not object, many expressed disappointment regarding the settling defendants' accountability.
Statements from the schools and the Archbishop of Vancouver expressed deep concern and sympathy for the victims. Some class members chose to opt out of the settlement to pursue individual lawsuits against the defendants.
