Manitoba Development Centre Class Action

Welcome to the Manitoba Development Centre Class Action Website

The proposed settlement includes all persons, who lived at MDC between July 1, 1951 and May 29, 2020, and were alive as of October 31, 2016. 

Summary of class actions

In 2021, a class action lawsuit regarding the Manitoba Development Centre (“MDC”) in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba was certified in the Court of King’s Bench. The class action alleges that the Government of Manitoba (“Manitoba”) was negligent in its operation of MDC. The lawsuit alleges that some MDC residents were physically, sexually and psychologically harmed by staff and other residents.

No admission of liability has been made and none of the allegations in the lawsuit have been proven in Court.

The plaintiff and Manitoba have agreed to a settlement to resolve the class action. Manitoba has agreed to a settlement of $17 million for compensation to class members who allege they suffered certain harms and to provide for other agreed upon reconciliation initiatives. No admission of liability has been made. This settlement must be approved by the Court in order to be enforceable.

A Court hearing to determine if the proposed settlement should be approved is scheduled to take place on May 5, 2023.

What are my legal options?

1. Do nothing 

  • If you support the settlement, you do not have to do anything right now. (Please note that by doing nothing you will give up any right to object to the settlement). 

2. Object to the proposed settlement

  • If you disagree with the settlement and woul like to explain why, you can complete an Objection Form. This form will include your name, address, and the reasons why you do not support the settlement. The Objection Form can be found here. 
  • You must mail this Form to: MWQ Claims Administrator, PO Box 3355, London, ON N6A 4K3, or email it to [email protected] and it must be received or postmarked no later than April 21, 2023. 

  • If you have submitted an Objection Form, you can also attend the approval hearing on May 5, 2023 at the Court House located at 408 York Avenue in Winnipeg to voice your objection to the proposed settlement. The Court will decide if you will be permitted to make oral submissions at the time. However, in order to be eligible to voice your objection, you must have completed and submitted an Objection Form setting out your reasons for objecting to the proposed settlement.

Important Dates & Deadlines

These are the important dates and deadlines associated with this case:

  • Objection Form Deadline - April 21, 2023
  • Approval Hearing - May 5, 2023