SHERBROOKE, QUE. -- A $60 million settlement was reached Tuesday to compensate dozens of sexual assault victims in connection with class-action lawsuits against the Freres du Sacre-Coeur (Brothers of the Sacred Heart).
The lawyer representing the victims calls it a historic amount.
The settlement in favour of the plaintiffs comes after a process of negotiations chaired by retired judge Claudette Picard.
The agreement will have to be approved by a court before the claim period for the victims can begin.
"We believe this is a record amount, by far the largest amount ever paid in a sexual assault class action in Quebec. It will allow the victims to receive a relatively large amount of compensation within a year instead of waiting for a trial, possible appeals and other individual trials that could have taken several years," said lawyer Robert Kugler.
In a statement, the Freres du Sacre-Coeur leadership apologized "for the abuse allegedly caused by religious educators."
"It is our hope and desire that the victims will be able to close a painful chapter in their lives, knowing that nothing can ever erase the wrongs that were done to you," said First Provincial Councillor Daniel Bouchard. "It is also the wish of the community that such acts never happen again. We hope that this settlement can allow the victims to alleviate their suffering."
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 29, 2021.
