Ontario Training Schools Class Action Given Green Light to Move Forward by the Court

THUNDER BAY, ON, Dec. 4, 2018 /CNW/ - Koskie Minsky LLP in Toronto announces that the Ontario Superior Court has certified a class action against the Province of Ontario on behalf of former residents of Ontario Training Schools.

The Training Schools were detention facilities for children that were established by the Province of Ontario. The claim seeks $600 million from the Province of Ontario in damages and covers the period of January 1, 1953 and April 2, 1984. It is estimated that there are as many as 21,000 survivors of the Ontario Training Schools.

The Statement of Claim alleges that in establishing and operating the Training Schools, the Province of Ontario created a toxic environment in which physical, sexual and psychological abuse of children in its care was frequent and widespread. It further alleges that cruel and degrading punishment perpetrated on children in the care of the Province was common. The allegations include the improper use of solitary confinement as well as all manner of abusive discipline.

Although the Province of Ontario has already entered into settlements with survivors of St. Joseph's Training School for Boys, St. John's Training School for Boys, and Grandview Training School, survivors Ontario's additional Training Schools were left out.

"This is an important milestone for the boys and girls from the Training Schools. We have all lived with this for years and we are glad this case is moving forward," said Kirk Keeping, the lead plaintiff in the class action.

"The allegations of abuse by the Province and quite frankly shocking," says Jonathan Ptak, lead counsel at Koskie Minsky LLP. "We are pleased that the case now has been certified as a class proceeding, so that we can now litigate this case on the merits. We will continue to push forward as quickly as possible and to seek access to justice for the thousands of survivors of the Ontario Training Schools."

The class action includes all persons who were alive as at December 8, 2015 who resided at any of the Training Schools between January 1, 1953 and April 2, 1984 during the time periods set out for each facility:

(1)	Pine Ridge School, Bowmanville (formerly The Ontario Training School for Boys) between January 1, 1953 and its closure in 1979;
(2)	Cold Springs Forestry Camp between January 1, 1963 and its closure in 1976;
(3)	Hillcrest School, Guelph (formerly known as Ontario Training School for Boys, Guelph) between January 1, 1953 and its closure in 1978;
(4)	Brookside School, Coburg (formerly Ontario Training School for Boys, Galt, and Ontario Training School for Boys, Northumberland and Ontario Training School for Boys, Coburg) between January 1, 1953 and April 2, 1984;
(5)	Trelawney House, Port Bolster (formerly known as Ontario Training School for Girls, Port Bolster Trelawney  House) between August 1959 and its closure in 1973;
(6)	Kawartha Lakes School, Lindsay (formerly Ontario Training School for Girls, Lindsay) between 1962 and its closure in 1979;
(7)	Glendale School, Simcoe (formerly Ontario Training School for Boys, Simcoe) between 1962 and July 30, 1974;
(8)	White Oaks Village, Hagersville (formerly Ontario Training School for Boys, Hagersville (Junior School)) between 1966 and its removal from the regulations under the training schools legislation in 1978;
(9)	Sprucedale School, Hagersville (formerly Ontario Training School for Boys, Hagersville (Senior School)) between 1966 and April 2, 1984;
(10)	Cecil Facer School, Sudbury between 1971 and April 2, 1984;
(11)	Project DARE – Portage Lake between June 1971 and 1976;
(12)	Project DARE – Wendigo Lake, South River (formerly Project DARE Wendigo Lake) between 1972 and April 2, 1984;
(13)	Syl Apps Youth Centre (formerly Ontario Training School for Girls, Galt (Reception and Diagnostic Centre); Reception and Diagnostic Centre, Galt; Reception, Diagnostic Treatment Centre, Galt; and the Reception and Assessment Centre, Oakville) between 1958 and April 2, 1984.

If you are a survivor of Ontario Training Schools, please call 1 866 860 9364, visit https://kmlaw.ca/cases/ontario-training-schools or email [email protected]

Koskie Minsky LLP, based in Toronto, is one of Canada's foremost class action, pension, labour, employment and litigation firms. Its class actions group has been a leader in class actions since 1992 and has prosecuted many of the leading cases in the area.  Koskie Minsky LLP was counsel in Cloud v. Canada, the first Indian Residential Schools class action certified in Canada which was settled for $5 billion. Koskie Minsky LLP was also counsel in Dolmage v. Ontario and three other related cases against the province of Ontario on behalf of thousands of people with disabilities which were settled for more than $107 million. Koskie Minsky LLP is also counsel in the recently settled class actions on behalf of survivors of the Sixties Scoop and the LGBT Purge in the Canadian military and public service.

SOURCE Koskie Minsky LLP

Jonathan Ptak, Koskie Minsky LLP, [phone], [email protected]

Related Links

www.kmlaw.ca