Huronia $2-Billion Class Action Lawsuit

Over ten thousand children, including infants, and adults with developmental and intellectual difficulties were committed over the last century to the provincial institution in Orillia, Ontario, now called Huronia Regional Centre, formerly Ontario Hospital School.

In July, 2010, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certified a class action lawsuit against the government of Ontario which had operated the facility, for failure to provide proper care and protection for those living within its walls.  Alleged abuses cited included physical, sexual, psychological abuse, spiritual harm, and breach of fiduciary duty.

The claim further charged that the province did little to protect residents after being made aware of abuses, which included the use of nausea-inducing drugs as punishment and forced labour. 

The province and Huronia Regional Centre were named as defendants in the action.
Koskie Minsky, LLP, the Toronto law firm representing plaintiffs Marie Slark and Patricia Seth.

Government settlement, 2013:
HRC Settlement Approval Hearing is scheduled to be heard Tuesday, December 3, 2013.
Please see further details:
kmlaw.ca/huroniaclassaction

For further information about the lawsuit, including an audio file, see:
huroniaclassaction.ca
institutionalsurvivors.com
koskieminsky.com/Case-Central

Radio documentary, “The Gristle in the Stew”, featuring plaintiffs Patricia Seth and Marie Slark. http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition; 
www.cbc.ca/inthefield
Contact: david-gutnik@cbc.ca
Jim and Marilyn Dolmage.
Initiators of Class Action Lawsuit & Guardians of Litigants:

See article on Jim and Marilyn by Carol Goar: “Huronia’s Hidden Heroes”
Toronto Star.  September 29.
“Marilyn and Jim Dolmage ... set out seven years ago to expose the atrocities that occurred at the Huronia Regional Centre for developmentally disabled and get restitution for the residents who were still alive...”

Marilyn Dolmage was a guest on MPP Cheri Di Novo’s CIUT radio show – Three Women.
Tuesday September 24, 2013
ciut.fm/shows/spoken-word/3-women