B.C. settles prison solitary confinement lawsuit for $60 million

VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government has settled a class-action lawsuit for up to $60 million over the use of solitary confinement in provincial correctional facilities over a period of 20 years.

The B.C. Supreme Court approved the settlement in October, and the claims period for a piece of the settlement began this month, more than seven years after the lawsuit was filed against the provincial government over correctional institutions’ use of segregation, which the lawsuit alleged was “cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.”

Claims documents say the class includes anyone who served time in a B.C. jail and spent 15 or more consecutive days in segregation, or inmates with mental illnesses held in solitary confinement, between April 2005 and October 2025.

A legal notice for the settlement in the case, brought by a representative inmate, says eligible class members could receive up to $91,000 if they submit a claim by Jan. 11, 2027.

Settlement documents say up to $85,000 is available for those who suffered serious harms, while a separate portion of the settlement could result in further payouts of up to $3,000 for those subjected to “prolonged” confinement, and $6,000 for those with serious mental illnesses.

The notice says serious harms include new diagnoses of a mental illness within 90 days of being placed in solitary confinement, self-injury during a placement in segregation, or a suicide attempt during or within 60 days of being segregated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2026.

The Canadian Press