B.C. Birth Alerts Class Action Reaches Proposed $66M Settlement
Shraddha Tripathy
6/15/20262 min read
A class-action lawsuit involving people who were subject to “birth alerts” in British Columbia has reached a proposed $66-million settlement, according to lawyers for the class.
Birth alerts, also known as hospital alerts, were a controversial practice that allowed child welfare workers and agencies to notify hospitals that an expectant parent’s child might need protection after birth.
The practice often led to babies being removed from mothers within days of being born. According to class counsel CFM Lawyers LLP, birth alerts disproportionately affected Indigenous families.
Settlement Still Requires Court Approval
The proposed settlement must still be approved by the B.C. Supreme Court.
A hearing to consider approval is scheduled for December 4.
According to the class action’s FAQ page, the proposed settlement is not an admission that the province did anything wrong. Instead, it is described as a legal compromise meant to resolve the claims without a lengthy trial.
Representative plaintiff Adrianna Zeleniski said the process is intended to help people avoid having to publicly relive painful experiences.
“People should not have to publicly relive painful experiences to be heard or supported,” Zeleniski said in a release. “One thing this proposed settlement does is create a process that avoids a lengthy trial. I hope it also helps people understand they are not alone.”
Compensation and Support Proposed
If approved, the settlement would create a process for people to find out whether a birth alert was issued about them.
It would also provide compensation and trauma-informed support for class members.
Michelle Segal, a partner at CFM Lawyers, said a person is presumptively part of the class if they are included in certain Ministry of Child and Family Development documents showing evidence of a birth alert on their file.
She said lawyers expect thousands of people in B.C. may have been affected, though the exact number is not yet known.
Class members would be eligible for a minimum of $2,000 in compensation. Indigenous class members would receive an additional amount.
Who May Be Included
People may be part of the class action if a birth alert was issued about them in B.C. between May 31, 1980, and May 8, 2026.
That includes people who were not told at the time that an alert had been issued.
Segal said people filing a claim will not be required to share traumatic details. She encouraged anyone affected to contact the dedicated trauma-informed call centre for support and information about the claims process.
Province Says Settlement Would Avoid Lengthy Litigation
In an emailed statement, the B.C. Ministry of the Attorney General said the settlement is the most responsible way to close the chapter and avoid lengthy and costly litigation, while noting that court approval is still required.
The ministry said B.C. became the first province to end birth alerts in 2019.
It added that health-care providers and child protection workers no longer share personal information about expectant parents without their consent.
The ministry acknowledged that birth alerts were primarily issued for marginalized women and disproportionately affected Indigenous women, and said it recognizes the trauma women experienced.
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