Former Residents of Huronia, Rideau, and Southwestern Regional Centres Could Receive Compensation from Class Action Settlements
TORONTO, April 7, 2014 /CNW/ - Settlements have been reached in class action lawsuits involving the Huronia Regional Centre ("Huronia"), Rideau Regional Centre ("Rideau"), and Southwestern Regional Centre ("Southwestern") which were residential facilities operated by the Province of Ontario (the "Province") that provided care and support to persons with developmental disabilities from 1876 to 2009.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7161751-koskie-minsky-huronia-rideau-southwestern-class-action-settlements
The lawsuits say that some residents of these Centres were harmed or hurt because the Province did not protect them. The Province denies these claims and the Court has not been asked to decide whether the Classes or the Province is right. Instead, both sides have agreed to Settlements. The Settlements do not mean that any law was broken or that the Province did anything wrong.
The Court appointed the law firm of Koskie Minsky LLP from Toronto, Ontario to represent the Classes as "Class Counsel." In a statement, Class Counsel Kirk Baert said, "All former residents who suffered harm are encouraged to make confidential claims for compensation. We also hope that family members, friends, support workers or anyone else in the former resident's support network will spread the word and help the former residents make claims for compensation that will help better their lives today."
The Settlements affect people as follows:
- Anyone who lived at Huronia at any time between 1945 and 2009, who was alive as of April 21, 2007; or
- The estates of former residents who lived at Huronia at any time between 1945 and 2009, but who passed away after April 21, 2007.
- Anyone who lived at Rideau between September 1, 1963 and March 31, 2009, who was alive as of September 24, 2008; and
- The estates of former residents who lived at Rideau between 1963 and 2009, but who died after September 24, 2008.
- Anyone who lived at Southwestern between September 1, 1963 and October 31, 2008, who was alive as of December 29, 2008; and
- The estates of former residents who lived at Southwestern between 1963 and 2008, but who died after December 29, 2008.
The Settlements have been approved and are final, meaning that compensation is available to eligible Class Members from Settlement Funds totaling $67.719 million, which are being paid for by the Province. The compensation that Class Members who were harmed can receive will depend on the level of harm suffered. Class Members may receive up to $42,000. Class Members have to submit a Claim Form to receive compensation. Claim Forms are available by calling 1-866-879-4915 (TTY: 1-877-627-7027) and at the following websites:
Class Members who did not previously remove themselves from the class action will be legally bound by all orders and judgments of the Court, and cannot sue the Province about the legal claims in this case. Being part of the Class will not impact the residence or services and support received by Class Members from community based agencies funded by the Province.
Class Members do not have to pay any legal fees to file a claim.
Some Class Members may have difficulty reading, so Class Counsel is asking for the help from family members, caregivers and friends of former residents in getting information to them. Please show any information you see to people who are impacted by these lawsuits or to their caregivers.
More detailed information on these lawsuits are available at the websites listed above; by calling toll-free 1-866-879-4915 (TTY: 1-877-627-7027); or by writing to the email addresses or mailing address provided below:
| Huronia Settlement |
Rideau Settlement |
Southwestern Settlement |
| 3-505, 133 Weber Street North Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3G9 |
3-505, 133 Weber Street North Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3G9 |
3-505, 133 Weber Street North Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3G9 |
Class Members can also receive help filing out their Clam Forms by using the above contact information.
Related documents:
https://www.multivu.com/assets/7161751/documents/7161751-huroniadetailednotice-original.pdf
https://www.multivu.com/assets/7161751/documents/7161751-rideaudetailednotice-original.pdf
https://www.multivu.com/assets/7161751/documents/7161751-southwesterndetailednotice-original.pdf
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7161751-koskie-minsky-huronia-rideau-southwestern-class-action-settlements
SOURCE: Koskie Minsky LLP
David Rosenfeld, (416) 595-2700
http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7161751-koskie-minsky-huronia-rideau-southwestern-class-action-settlements
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