Settlement in Quebec minor hockey coach abuse class action

Francois Lamarre, a retired Montreal police and former minor league hockey coach in Greenfield Park, Que., appears for his arraignment at the courthouse in Longueuil, Que., on December 19, 2019. (Pierre St-Arnaud/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Superior Court has approved a class action settlement that could provide as much as $10.25 million to victims who were sexually abused by a minor hockey coach in a Montreal suburb.

François Lamarre, a former Montreal police officer who retired in 1994 and died in 2020, was a boys hockey coach in Greenfield Park for about 30 years until 2001.

The former town is now a part of Longueuil, just south of Montreal.

Lamarre died in July 2020, about seven months after having been charged with gross indecency, indecent exposure, sexual assault, sexual touching and invitation to sexual touching involving four complainants.

A civil trial was scheduled to begin this fall but that was cancelled with word of a possible settlement, which was formally authorized by Justice Suzanne Courchesne on Tuesday.

The class action brought by John Cormier, one of Lamarre's victims, named the City of Longueuil and Lamarre's estate as defendants.

The city will pay almost all of the settlement, with only $8,300 coming from Lamarre's estate through the provincial tax collection agency.

Compensation will depend on the level of abuse endured up to a maximum of $600,000 per victim. Depending on how many people come forward -- and the court document makes provisions for up to 56 victims -- the total amount paid out could run from $3.6 million to $10.25 million.

Pierre Boivin, a lawyer with the firm Kugler Kandestin that represents the victims, welcomed the settlement and urged victims and their estates to contact the firm soon, as there is a six-month deadline to file claims.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024.