January 14,2026
RED FM News Desk
The British Columbia government has agreed to a class-action settlement of up to $60 million related to the use of solitary confinement in provincial correctional facilities over a 20-year period.
The B.C. Supreme Court approved the settlement in October, and the claims process for eligible inmates opened this month—more than seven years after the lawsuit was initially filed. The case alleged that the use of segregation in jails constituted “cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.”
Claims documents indicate the class includes individuals who served time in a B.C. jail between April 2005 and October 2025 and were held in segregation for 15 or more consecutive days, as well as inmates with mental illnesses who were placed in solitary confinement.
A legal notice filed by a representative plaintiff states that eligible claimants may receive up to $91,000 if they submit an application by Jan. 11, 2027.
Under the settlement, individuals who suffered serious harms may be eligible for payments of up to $85,000. Additional compensation could include up to $3,000 for prolonged confinement and up to $6,000 for inmates with serious mental illnesses.
The notice defines serious harms as including a new mental illness diagnosis within 90 days of placement in solitary confinement, incidents of self-harm during segregation, or a suicide attempt during or within 60 days after segregation.
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