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Eligible Canadians could be a part of a massive proposed class-action lawsuit against Correctional Services Canada (CSC) and its treatment of Black inmates at federal prisons.
The lawsuit alleges that the government agency negligently permitted or failed to prevent the abuse of Black inmates in federal prisons.
This includes unauthorized application of physical force by CSC staff, racialized verbal abuse directed by CSC staff, confinement in administrative segregation or a structured intervention unit, and assault or racialized verbal abuse by non-Black inmates that CSC staff permitted to occur or unreasonably failed to prevent or intervene in.
<h2>Who is eligible to be a part of the class-action lawsuit?</h2>
<div id="attachment_2220348" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2220348" class="size-full wp-image-2220348" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/12/shutterstock_1834383019.jpg" alt="class action" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/12/shutterstock_1834383019.jpg 1000w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/12/shutterstock_1834383019-500x334.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock</div>
According to Avize Law Group, the law firm representing class members, all Black people who claim to have experienced the abuse listed above while incarcerated in a CSC jail at any time between April 17, 1985 and Dec. 13, 2023, and who were alive on Dec. 23, 2023, are automatically included in the class action. Essentially, if you think you&#8217;re eligible, you don&#8217;t need to sign up to join.
&#8220;There is no money available now and no guarantee there will ever be any,&#8221; stated the law firm. &#8220;If money is awarded, notices will be posted in prisons about how to ask for a share. If you are not in prison now, you can sign up to receive those notices by email or mail.&#8221;
If you want to opt out of the class action, you have until Feb. 20, 2026, to fill out an opt-out form found on the <a href="https://www.blackprisonjustice.ca/" target="_blank">lawsuit&#8217;s site</a> and send it to AAGQ Notice Provider, P.O. Box 3355, London, ON, N6A 4K3, or by <a href="mailto:info@BlackPrisonJustice.ca" target="_blank">email</a>.
If you opt out, you won&#8217;t be able to get any money or benefits from the class action (if any are awarded), but you will be allowed to start or continue your own lawsuit about the legal claims in this case.
You can learn more about this proposed class-action lawsuit <a href="https://www.blackprisonjustice.ca/" target="_blank">online</a>.
There are several class actions that have reached settlements. <a href="https://dailyhive.com/canada/settlements-canadians-claim-deadline" target="_blank">Check out three</a> that you should claim before the deadline.
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Eligible Canadians could be a part of a proposed class-action lawsuit against Correctional Services Canada.