Class Actions

Home » Class action against Les Soeurs de la Charité and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale

Class action against Les Soeurs de la Charité and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale

Victims of sexual, physical and psychological abuse suffered at Mont d’Youville

Update as of July 24, 2024

Kugler Kandestin has the immense pleasure to announce that on July 17, 2024, the Superior Court rendered a Judgment approving a $65 million in the Class action against Les Soeurs de la charité de Québec and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale.

Please note that at this time the claims process has not yet begun.

Once the claims period begins, we will provide additional information regarding the steps that will need to be taken to submit a claim for compensation.

Update as of June 7, 2024

Kugler Kandestin is pleased to announce that they have settled the class action against Les Soeurs de la charité de Québec and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale for $65 million, the largest ever settlement in Quebec history for an abuse class action. The settlement, which is subject to approval by the Quebec Superior Court, will enable hundreds of individuals who suffered sexual, physical and/or psychological abuse at the Mont d’Youville institution to receive substantial compensation, pursuant to a confidential claims procedure that removes any right of contestation on the part of the defendants.

There will be a Hearing of a Motion to approve the settlement and claims process at the Quebec City Courthouse on July 4, 2024, at which time class counsel will also be seeking approval of class counsel fees for the six years of work they have devoted to the case. You do not have to attend the hearing in order to benefit from the settlement.

You may consult the following documents to learn more about the settlement, and why we are strongly recommending that the Court grant the Motion for approval that is being presented on July 4, 2024:

• Settlement agreement
• Notice to Members
• Application to Approve the Settlement Agreement and Class Counsel’s Fees 

If the settlement is approved, we will provide additional information regarding the steps that will then need to be taken to submit a claim for compensation. Please note that at this time no claim can be submitted and that the claims process has not yet begun.

If you or anybody you know was a victim of sexual, physical and/or psychological abuse at Mont d’Youville between 1925 and 1996, we encourage you to communicate with us, so that we can inform you of your rights.  The communications are free and will be kept strictly confidential.

We are pleased to announce that, on August 6, 2020, the Honourable Étienne Parent, J.S.C., rendered a Judgment authorizing our application for authorization to institute a class action for the benefit of the following class (hereinafter, “Class”):

« All persons or successions of persons who were victims of sexual abuse and/or physical abuse and/or psychological abuse by agents of Mont d’Youville, including by members of the religious order Soeurs de la Charité de Québec , while they were at Mont d’Youville between 1925 and 1996.  Excluded from the Class are persons who were compensated and who signed a release in the context of the National program of reconciliation with Duplessis orphans who attended certain institutions.”

Nature of the file

Kugler Kandestin and the law firm Quessy Henry St-Hilaire filed an application for authorization to institute a class action (the “Application”) seeking compensatory and punitive damages from the Soeurs de la Charité de Quéebec and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale.

The Application seeks to enable access to justice to victims of sexual, physical and/or psychological abuse suffered during childhood at the hands of agents of Mont d’Youville, including members of the religious order les Soeurs de la Charité de Québec, while they were at Mont d’Youville between 1925 and 1996.  The Application also includes estates of such victims, yet excludes persons compensated and who signed a release in the context of the National program of reconciliation with Duplessis orpĥans who attended certain institutions.

The Application alleges that the reprehensible and unacceptable abuse was carried out systematically for decades by at least 71 abusers, including 55 members of the religious order Soeurs de la Charité de Québec.

The class action that has been authorized will be filed shortly.

If you or anybody you know was a victim of sexual, physical and/or psychological abuse at Mont d’Youville between 1925 and 1996, we encourage you to communicate with the undersigned attorneys so that we can inform you of your rights.

The communications are free and will be kept strictly confidential.

If you meet the definition of the Class, we invite you to click on the following link enabling us to keep a list of members in complete confidence: https://www.qhsavocats.com/

We will continue to update this page as the file progresses.