Overview
- A Court of King’s Bench judge orally approved a $129‑million class‑action settlement on Thursday to resolve claims that Manitoba routinely used segregation in its jails in ways that harmed inmates.
- The settlement covers three groups: youth held in segregation since Sept. 12, 2006; people held 15 or more consecutive days; and people with a serious mental illness who were segregated since Sept. 12, 2012.
- Eligible claimants will start with minimum awards of about $9,000 for youth and $3,000 for adults and may receive up to $100,000 depending on length of confinement and proved harms.
- Manitoba agreed to settle without a trial while denying liability, the judge will issue written reasons later, and Proactio will run the claims process and payment rollout in the coming weeks.
- The suit was built on provincial data and expert evidence showing more than 34,000 youth segregation incidents from 2006 to 2022, testimony about extreme conditions and a pact to hold facility reviews and quarterly reform talks over two years.