Canadian archdiocese to pay $104 million to sex abuse victims

Canadian archdiocese to pay $104 million to sex abuse victims

/ 02:35 PM July 06, 2024

Canadian archdiocese to pay $104 million to sex abuse victims

INQUIRER.net stock images

MONTREAL — The Catholic Church is to pay 104 million Canadian dollars ($76 million) to hundreds of victims of sexual abuse from eastern Canada, according to a statement released Friday.

In 2020 the Archdiocese of St. John was found liable for one of Canada’s largest child sex abuse scandals, at Mount Cashel Orphanage, a now-defunct boy’s orphanage in Newfoundland and Labrador province.

Article continues after this advertisement

The court found sexual abuse was perpetrated by priests and other church officials at the orphanage starting in 1940 and continued over the course of several decades.

FEATURED STORIES

READ: Vatican closes sexual assault probe into Canadian cardinal

A total of 292 victims will receive payouts ranging from 55,000 to 850,000 Canadian dollars, according to the report seen by AFP.

Article continues after this advertisement

Accounting firm Ernst & Young has been tapped as a third-party intermediary to determine the amount distributed to each victim.

Article continues after this advertisement

Geoff Budden, one of the attorneys representing the victims, told AFP the amount was in line with “similar compensation from other courts.”

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Canada’s Trudeau blasts Catholic Church for ignoring role in indigenous schools

“People didn’t really grasp the scale of the problem and how widespread the abuse was,” he said.

Article continues after this advertisement

The Archdiocese of St. John declared bankruptcy in 2021, though it has raised 40 million Canadian dollars through selling buildings that belonged to it.

However, Budden said he is optimistic that the victims will receive the full amount awarded by the court.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

“There are still assets that need to be processed, including insurance products,” he said.

TAGS: Canada, Catholic Church

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.