Wesley et al v. His Majesty the King
UPDATE (March 12, 2026): The Court certified this action as a class proceeding on March 12, 2026. The reasons for judgment
can be downloaded here.
This is a very significant milestone for justice for the girls who survived Willingdon. We are honoured to continue to advance this case on their behalves, and look forward to next steps, which will be announced soon.
This action concerns allegations of systemic abuse and mistreatment of girls incarcerated at what eventually became known as the “Willingdon School for Girls” in British Columbia.
The institution operated as a “correctional facility” between 1914 and 1973, with girls being incarcerated for “crimes” such as incorrigibility and “sexual immorality,” which included the “crime” of being homosexual. Others were incarcerated because they were labelled “unmanageable” at home or at school.
The bulk of the girls came from marginalized backgrounds, and many were Indigenous. They ranged from six to nineteen years-old while confined at the school. The girls experienced alleged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, frequently carried out by employees, including teachers, medical staff, and others. Girls were confined in isolation in the “Hole” for weeks at a time. Indigenous girls were subjected to cultural assimilation; the institution, operating as a penitentiary for children, blended the worst aspects of residential schools and prison camps.
* Certification means, in general terms, permission to proceed as a “group.” If certification is allowed, then all members of a class can pursue their claims through a single, joint proceeding. If certification is not allowed, then claims will have to be pursued individually.