The Superior Court has Authorized a Class Action in Connection with Abuses Committed in Youth Protection Centres against First Nations, Inuit, and Métis People

Press Release

MONTREAL, Nov. 13, 2025 – On April 3, 2025, the Superior Court of Québec authorized a class action for damages against the Government of Québec (represented by the Attorney General of Québec), Santé Québec, acting through sixteen (16) integrated (university) health and social services centres (also known as IUHSSC, IHSSC, CIUSSS and CISSS), the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, and the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.

This class action concerns alleged abuse and discrimination faced by First Nations, Inuit or Métis children admitted into youth protection centres throughout the province of Québec since 1950.

A person is automatically a member of this class action if they meet all of the following criteria:

• They are First Nations, Inuit or Métis.
• They were placed in a Centre on or after October 1, 1950, while they were 17 years old or younger.
  • For the purposes of the class action, the centres notably include youth protection schools or youth protection centres, reception centres, transition centres and rehabilitation centre, and the Inukjuak, Puvirnituq, and Saturvik Group Homes. Hospital centres, any other group homes and foster families are not concerned by the class action. Mont d’Youville reception centre is also excluded from the class action as it is already concerned by a separate, ongoing class action.
• They were placed in a centre pursuant to a youth protection law or a young offenders law;
• During their placement at the centre,
  • they were sexually assaulted; and/or
  • they were subject to one or several of the following measures:
    • they were placed in solitary confinement;
    • they were confined in a common area of the centre;
    • they were locked up in their room or in a cell;
    • they were subject to discriminatory or derogatory comments and treatment on the basis of their Indigenous identity
    • they were subject to the use of force, with or without the use of mechanical devices or any chemical substances (for example, a straitjacket, handcuffs or shackles, medication);
    • they were subject to unnecessary medication, medical or dental treatment; and/or
  • they were denied access to education.
• They did not receive financial assistance and sign a release pursuant to the National Program of Reconciliation with the Duplessis Orphans or the National Reconciliation Program for Duplessis Orphans Who Were Residents of Certain Institutions. However, in some circumstances (explained in the full-length notice to the class members), a person having signed such a release may still be a member of the class action.

The Superior Court appointed Mr. Harry Dandy as the representative of all class members. On their behalf, Mr. Dandy claims that the Government of Québec, Santé Québec, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, and the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay are liable for the denial to access to education, the imposition of measures, and the discrimination of First Nations, Inuit or Métis children admitted into centres. He asks that the Superior Court order the defendants to pay damages to the class members, including himself.

Those allegations and the defendants’ purported liability remain to be proven. The Superior Court will  be required to decide, following a trial, whether the defendants were at fault and whether and to what extent damages should be paid to the class members.

If they do not want to be included in the class action and do not want to obtain a payment if the class action is settled or granted by the court, class members may opt out of the class action at the latest on December 15, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. The means of opting out are specified in the full-length notice to class members. All class members who will not have opted out prior to the expiry of this deadline will be bound by any judgment rendered in the class action.

For additional information about the class action, please consult the full-length notice to the class members available at the following address:
https://www.registredesactionscollectives.quebec/en/Consulter/ApercuDemande?NoDossier=500-06-001265-236

Counsel for Mr. Dandy and all class members, identified below, may also be contacted by the following means:

E-mail : hdca@alexeevco.com
Phone : 514 545-7080
Fax : 514 648-7700

Another notice to the class members will be published if any settlement is entered into by the parties or once a final judgment is rendered on the class action.

Proactio, a subsidiary of Raymond Chabot, has been mandated to deploy and manage the distribution of notices to class members.

THE PUBLICATION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE HAS BEEN ORDERED BY THE COURT.

Information :                E-mail : hdca@alexeevco.com
                                      Phone : 514 545-7080
                                      Fax : 514 648-7700

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