Nova Scotia Deaf Schools Class Action
Reviewed by Marty Mikhail, Barrister & Solicitor with Quinn Thiele Mineault Grodzki LLPLast verified How we verify
Status
Claims closedClaim deadline
Claims closed
The filing deadline for this claim has passed and filing is now closed. If you already submitted a claim, the claims administrator will contact you about next steps and payment.
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About this claim
If you attended the Halifax School for the Deaf or the Amherst School as a residential, day, or vocational student between 1913 and 1995 and were alive on or after January 31, 2019, you may be eligible for a cash payment based on how long you attended, with additional amounts of $90,000 to $150,000 for serious physical or sexual abuse. Where you live now does not affect your eligibility. You can live anywhere in Canada or abroad today; what matters is where the events happened.
Read more
This class action is about two schools for Deaf students in Nova Scotia that are now closed: the Halifax School for the Deaf and the Amherst School (formerly the Interprovincial School for the Education of the Deaf). The lawsuit alleged that the Province of Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority were negligent in how they ran the schools, causing harm to students, including punishment for using sign language, physical and verbal abuse, and humiliating treatment.
A judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia approved a settlement on November 28, 2025, finding it fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class. The defendants will pay a maximum of $36 million to former students, plus $3 million for restorative Sharing Circles and support programs for the Deaf community. Former students can claim a Systemic Harms Payment based on their time at the schools, and those who suffered serious physical or sexual abuse can also claim through a private Independent Assessment Process.
Claim types
This case covers more than one type of claim. Each has its own payment, proof requirements, and eligibility. Review the type that applies to you.
Systemic Harms Payment
A payment for the harmful experiences many students shared at the schools, such as being punished for using sign language, physical and verbal abuse, and humiliating treatment. Every eligible class member who files a claim is entitled to this payment, with the amount based on how many years they attended and whether they were a residential, day, or vocational student. No proof of harm is required; it is a paper process.
Payment: $10,000 for one year or less as a residential student, rising to $20,000 for four years plus $1,000 for each additional year; day and vocational students receive one third of those amounts ($3,300 to $6,600 plus $330 per additional year). Amounts may be adjusted depending on the number of claims.
Proof: ID required
Who qualifies
- Attended the Halifax School and/or Amherst School between 1913 and 1995 as a residential, day, or vocational student
- Vocational students must have first attended as a residential or day student
- Was alive on or after January 31, 2019 (estates of members who died on or after that date may claim 50% of the payment)
Independent Assessment Process Payment
An additional payment for living class members who experienced serious harm from physical or sexual abuse beyond the shared experiences covered by the Systemic Harms Payment. It involves a private meeting with an independent evaluator, available in person or online with sign language interpreters.
Payment: Level 1: $90,000 to $100,000; Level 2: $140,000 to $150,000. Amounts may be adjusted downwards if there are insufficient funds.
Proof: ID required
Who qualifies
- Must be a living eligible class member (estates cannot claim, except where the member died after their Claim Evaluation Session and would have been approved)
- Experienced sexual abuse or significant physical abuse beyond the harms covered by the Systemic Harms Payment
Claim Administrator
- Verita Global LLC
- Phone1-888-999-9616
- Websitehttps://www.NSDeafSchoolsClassAction.com
- Email[email protected]
- MailNS Deaf Schools Class Action Administrator c/o Verita Global P.O. Box 3355 London, ON N6A 4K3
Class Counsel
- Wagners (All provinces and territories across Canada)
- Email[email protected]
- Local902-425-7331
- Toll-free1-866-455-1355
- MailWagners 1869 Upper Water Street Suite PH 301, Pontac House Historic Properties Halifax, NS B3J 1S9
Class members can get free help with their claim from the claims administrator listed above.
Settlement Notices
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money can I receive?
Every eligible class member can receive a Systemic Harms Payment based on years of attendance: residential students receive $10,000 for one year or less, rising to $20,000 for four years plus $1,000 for each additional year, while day and vocational students receive one third of those amounts. Living class members who suffered serious physical or sexual abuse can also claim an Independent Assessment Process Payment of $90,000 to $100,000 (Level 1) or $140,000 to $150,000 (Level 2). Final amounts may be adjusted depending on how many people apply.
What is the deadline to file a claim?
The completed claim form must be received by the Administrator no later than September 21, 2026. You will not receive any money if you do not submit a claim form by the deadline.
Do I need to provide proof of what happened to me?
No proof of harm is required for the Systemic Harms Payment; it is a paper process based on your attendance information, and the Administrator will also use records received from the parties. You must include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID, or complete the statutory declaration in the claim form if you do not have one. For the Independent Assessment Process Payment, you share your experiences at a private meeting with a Claim Evaluator rather than attaching proof to the form.
What if the former student has died?
If the student died on or after January 31, 2019, the person in charge of their estate can complete the Eligible Estate Claim Form and may receive 50% of the Systemic Harms Payment, and must include documents showing they are allowed to act for the estate. No money is available for students who died before January 31, 2019, and estates cannot claim the Independent Assessment Process Payment.
I sent an intake form to Wagners before. Do I still need to file a claim?
Yes. An earlier intake form sent to Wagners is not a claim. You must complete and submit the official claim form to Verita Global by September 21, 2026 to be considered under the settlement.