B.C. residents subject to birth alerts can now apply for $66 million settlement
Between 1980 and 2019, about 3,000 documented people in B.C. were flagged with birth alerts. Eligible class members have until December 4, 2027, to apply for compensation starting at $2,000.
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British Columbians subject to birth alerts between 1980 and 2019 can now apply for compensation as part of a proposed $66 million settlement.
Birth alerts were notifications issued by child welfare workers with the Ministry of Children and Family Development or delegated Indigenous agencies to hospitals, flagging an unborn child as potentially needing protection after delivery. Many infants, particularly Indigenous infants, were apprehended shortly after birth as a result. In many cases, parents were never informed they had been flagged.
The class action was filed in 2021 by Adrianna Zeleniski, who was subject to a birth alert in 2013. Mediators Jody Wilson-Raybould and Roshan Danesh helped reach a settlement between Zeleniski and the province last month. The Supreme Court of Canada will determine whether the settlement is fair at a hearing scheduled for December 4, 2026.
Eligible class members have until December 4, 2027, to apply. The settlement will provide at least $2,000 per class member, with Indigenous class members receiving additional compensation. The final amount per person will depend on how many eligible claims are submitted. The B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development's electronic records identify about 3,000 people subject to birth alerts, though many more may exist in older analogue files. If someone believes they were subject to a birth alert, they can submit a claim through the Birth Alerts BC website, where a claims helper will guide them through the process.
By the numbers
How many B.C. residents were documented as subject to birth alerts?
About 3,000 people in B.C. were identified in electronic records as subject to birth alerts between 1980 and 2019, though the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development notes that many more may exist in older analogue files.
What is the deadline to apply for the birth alerts settlement?
Eligible class members in B.C. have until December 4, 2027, to apply for compensation.
How much compensation will eligible class members receive?
The settlement will provide at least $2,000 per class member, with Indigenous class members receiving additional compensation. The final amount per person will depend on how many eligible claims are submitted.
When will the Supreme Court of Canada rule on the settlement?
The Supreme Court of Canada has scheduled a hearing for December 4, 2026, to determine whether the birth alerts settlement is fair.
