Alberta city pays over $9.5 million to 155 women in class-action lawsuit settlement

A law firm representing women who sued an Alberta municipality over claims of sexual assault, harassment and discrimination says over $9.5 million has been paid out to 155 women whose claims were approved in a settlement.

Two female firefighters with the Leduc fire department, south of Edmonton, launched the class-action lawsuit in 2022 claiming they were subject to physical and sexual assault, harassment and bullying while on the job.

In a news release late Monday, the law firm of Burnett, Duckworth & Palmer LLP claims the settlement is ``one of the highest per person payouts in Canadian legal history for workplace sexual misconduct.''

The class action sought damages for women who had worked at the City of Leduc between 2002 and 2023, and the Court of King's Bench approved a settlement to provide compensation to the women in 2023.

In January 2024, Leduc's mayor apologized to the women who worked at the City of Leduc.

In a statement on its website, the municipality says the settlement has provided the means to move forward with what it calls `critical change initiatives,'' which it says include psychological health and safety initiatives, mandatory training and workplace investigation training.`We acknowledge the profound impact that this matter has had. We have learned from this experience and are continuing to move orward in a way that honours our commitment to a respectful and safe environment for all. This remains central to everything we do,'' the city's statement says.