A settlement has been reached in the long-standing class action lawsuit between the plaintiffs and the insurers of the now-defunct Grenville Christian College (GCC). The settlement aims to address allegations of negligence and harmful behavior by GCC staff towards its former boarding students between September 1973 and July 1997.
GCC was a private boarding school in Maitland, Ont., which was close to Brockville. It was built in 1918 and closed in 2007.
The settlement must be approved by the court before its implementation. A hearing for court approval is scheduled for November 16, 2023. Class members have the opportunity to review the settlement terms and provide their comments to McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP, the Settlement Class Counsel, by October 31, 2023, for consideration at the court hearing.
The allegations, which have been confirmed by the Ontario Superior Court in February 2020 and the Ontario Court of Appeal in April 2021, claim that GCC created an environment of “control, intimidation, and humiliation” that caused enduring harm to its students.
Sabrina Lombardi, of McKenzie Lake Lawyers, states, “The proposed settlement intends to address the harms endured by the former boarding students of GCC and provide them some closure and support for healing. The financial compensation also serves a symbolic function by acknowledging those harms and validating Class Members’ experiences.”
If the settlement gains court approval, all Class Members will be notified and given the opportunity to make a claim for payment. No action is required from Class Members who wish to participate in the settlement at this time. Additional details on how to make a claim will be issued if the settlement is approved.
Individuals who attended and boarded at GCC between September 1973 and July 1997, excluding children or grandchildren of Charles Farnsworth and/or Alastair Haig and those who previously opted out of the lawsuit, are encouraged to visit www.GCCSettlement.ca or call 1-877-786-0546 for more information about the proposed settlement.
