Catholic Church to Compensate Hundreds of Canadian Sex Abuse Victims with $76 Million Settlement

Montreal: The Catholic Church has agreed to pay 104 million Canadian dollars ($76 million) as compensation to hundreds of victims of sexual abuse in eastern Canada, according to a statement released on Friday. The settlement stems from a landmark court case in 2020, where the Archdiocese of St. John was held liable for one of Canada's largest child sex abuse scandals at the Mount Cashel Orphanage, a former boys' orphanage in Newfoundland and Labrador province.

The court's findings revealed that priests and other church officials had perpetrated sexual abuse at the orphanage starting from as early as 1940 and spanning several decades. A total of 292 victims will receive compensation ranging from 55,000 to 850,000 Canadian dollars, as detailed in a report seen by AFP. Ernst & Young has been appointed as a third-party intermediary to oversee the distribution of funds to each victim.

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Geoff Budden, representing the victims, noted that the compensation amount aligns with similar settlements reached in other jurisdictions. He emphasized the widespread nature of the abuse, suggesting that the scale of the issue had not been fully comprehended until now.

The Archdiocese of St. John filed for bankruptcy in 2021 but has managed to raise 40 million Canadian dollars through the sale of its properties. Despite this, Budden expressed optimism that the victims would ultimately receive the full amount awarded by the court, citing ongoing processes to liquidate remaining assets, including insurance proceeds.

The settlement underscores ongoing efforts within the Catholic Church to address historical cases of sexual abuse and provide restitution to victims. It marks a significant step in acknowledging and compensating for the grievous harm inflicted upon vulnerable individuals within the church's care over many decades.