The B.C. Supreme Court has approved a $30-million settlement resolving a class-action lawsuit arising from historical allegations of physical, psychological and sexual abuse at two Roman Catholic schools in Metro Vancouver.
Scope and history of the lawsuit
The settlement, approved July 31, 2026, covers claims brought against Vancouver College, St. Thomas More Collegiate and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver. The class action was originally filed in 2021 and certified in 2023. Parties reached a settlement in February 2026 that was contingent on court approval.
According to the judgment, more than 200 people came forward to join the class. The court record places the alleged period of abuse at Vancouver College between 1976 and 2013, and at St. Thomas More between 1976 and 1989.
Allegations linked to Mount Cashel transfers
The claim alleged that members of the Christian Brothers of Ireland in Canada were transferred to the Metro Vancouver schools from the Mount Cashel orphanage in St. John’s, N.L. Mount Cashel became notorious after revelations of abuse there dating from the 1950s to the 1970s. The court ruling notes that four of the individuals transferred to Vancouver were later criminally convicted when the Mount Cashel crimes were exposed in the 1990s, naming defendants including Edward English and Kevin Short.
Why the court approved the settlement
Justice Simon Coval said he had “no hesitation” in approving the settlement. The approval cites a trauma‑informed and confidential claims process intended to spare claimants the difficulties of a trial. The judge recorded that former students reported suffering and witnessing abuse that resulted in long-term effects, including mental health challenges, relationship and employment difficulties, substance abuse and loss of faith.
“Many expressed disappointment in the settling defendants’ apparent lack of accountability and moral responsibility for the terrible events allowed to occur at the two schools.”
The court noted that while most class members did not object to the settlement, many were disappointed by what they described as an absence of moral accountability by the settling parties.
Responses recorded in the court record
The judgment records that the schools and the Archbishop of Vancouver made public statements expressing concern and sympathy for victims; those statements were placed into evidence during the settlement approval process. The settlement’s confidential claims process and its trauma-informed design were factors the court relied on in concluding the resolution was fair and reasonable for class members.
- Settlement amount: $30 million
- Class size: More than 200 people
- Alleged abuse periods: Vancouver College 1976–2013; St. Thomas More 1976–1989
- Key historical link: Transfers from Mount Cashel orphanage
| Event | Date |
| Statement of claim filed | 2021 |
| Class certified | 2023 |
| Settlement reached | February 2026 |
| Court approval | July 31, 2026 |
The approval ends a legal chapter that had been scheduled to go to trial in 2024 but was adjourned pending settlement discussions. For many claimants, the confidential and trauma-aware process is intended to lower the barriers to seeking compensation without reliving court-room testimony.
For Vancouver residents, the settlement renews questions about institutional accountability, how schools and religious organizations respond to allegations, and the supports available to survivors of historical abuse. While the financial settlement offers one form of recourse, the court record underscores ongoing dissatisfaction among many former students who sought clearer recognition of responsibility alongside compensation.
As administrative steps proceed to implement the claims process, impacted former students and their families in Metro Vancouver will watch closely for details on how to apply, timelines for payouts and the ways in which the confidential process will be managed to protect survivors’ wellbeing.
