More victims of Gatineau Archdiocese sought: class action lawsuit underway

Drazen Seslija

On March 27, 2026, the law firms Bellemare Avocats and Lambert Avocats filed an application for authorization to institute a class action lawsuit against the Archdioceses of Gatineau and Ottawa-Cornwall in a case of sexual assaults committed against minors, the alleged acts of which reportedly occurred approximately 50 years ago by members of the Catholic Church, among others.

Contacted by the Aylmer Bulletin, lawyer Marc Bellemare confirmed that the application for authorization to institute a class action lawsuit filed by Bellemare Avocats and Lambert Avocats against the Archdioceses of Gatineau and Ottawa-Cornwall is still awaiting a decision from the Superior Court of Quebec.

The application seeks financial compensation for the victims. Bellemare maintains that “compensation can range from $50,000 to $250,000 depending on the severity of the acts committed against the victims.” The application states that, if accepted, the class action would cover “all persons who have been sexually assaulted by a member of the clergy, an employee or volunteer, lay or religious, under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Gatineau and/or the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Ottawa.” When asked about the number of victims who have contacted him so far, Bellemare indicated that about 50 had. He also added that he encourages victims of abuse to contact him at any time at 418-681-1227 or by filling out the form available on the organization's website, www.bellemareavocats.ca, while specifying that the information would be completely confidential.