CLASS ACTION
USE OF THERAPEUTIC QUIET ROOMS (TQRs) AT WOOD STREET
Challenging the use of isolation against children in care.
STATUS: PENDING CERTIFICATIOIN
Overview
PATH Legal has filed a proposed class action against the Attorney General of Nova Scotia concerning the use of Therapeutic Quiet Rooms at Wood Street Centre in Truro, Nova Scotia.
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Wood Street includes the Wood Street Centre Secure Treatment facility and the Wood Street Centre Residential Treatment facility. These are treatment facilities for children who are in the care, custody, or supervision of the Province.
The lawsuit alleges that children at Wood Street were placed in Therapeutic Quiet Rooms, or “TQRs,” in circumstances that were harmful, non-therapeutic, and segregation-like. The claim alleges that children were locked in small rooms for prolonged periods and, at times, deprived of meaningful human contact, access to washrooms, food, clothing, medical care, school, programming, and other basic supports.
The claim alleges that the Province’s use of TQRs was negligent, breached fiduciary duties owed to children in its care, and violated rights protected by sections 7, 9, 12, and 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This case is in the very early stages. It has not yet been certified as a class action, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
Understanding Therapeutic Quiet Rooms
Therapeutic Quiet Rooms are designated spaces under Nova Scotia’s child protection legislation and regulations. The claim alleges that, although TQRs are intended to be used only as short-term emergency interventions, children and youth at Wood Street were placed in TQRs for a range of reasons, including non-compliance, emotional dysregulation, mental health concerns, behavioural control, or institutional management.
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According to the Statement of Claim, the TQR at Wood Street is a small concrete room with a metal door, observation windows, and a camera on the ceiling. The claim alleges that confinement in these rooms resembled solitary confinement and caused serious harm to children and youth who were already vulnerable.
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PATH alleges that TQR confinement could interfere with children’s access to education, healthcare, mental health supports, privacy, dignity, hygiene, religious or spiritual items, family contact, programming, and meaningful human contact.
What the Class Action Alleges
The proposed class action alleges that Nova Scotia failed to protect children in its care from the harmful use of Therapeutic Quiet Rooms.
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The lawsuit alleges that the Province knew or ought to have known that TQR confinement could cause serious psychological and physical harm, particularly for children with emotional, behavioural, psychological, developmental, cognitive, or trauma-related needs.
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The claim alleges that TQRs were used in harmful and inappropriate ways, including:
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for non-therapeutic reasons;
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as punishment or behavioural control;
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for mental health concerns where isolation did not meet the child’s therapeutic needs;
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for extended periods of time;
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without meaningful human contact or appropriate supports;
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without adequate access to basic necessities; and
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without proper monitoring, intervention, investigation, or oversight.
The lawsuit seeks accountability, compensation, and systemic change for children who were placed in Therapeutic Quiet Rooms at Wood Street.
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None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Progress and Updates
PATH filed this proposed class action in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in June 2026.
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The case is at a very early stage. The next major step will be certification. Certification is the stage where the Court decides whether the case can proceed as a class action.
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At this time:
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the case has not been certified;
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there is no court-approved class;
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there is no claims process;
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there is no opt-out deadline; and
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potential class members do not need to take any immediate legal steps.
PATH will provide updates as the case develops.
Next steps
A judge has to say it is okay for the case to proceed as a class action. The Court hearing asking the judge for permission to proceed as a class action is called a "Certification Application”. It is anticipated that the certification hearing will be held in 2027, however no dates have been set.
For more information about how a class action works, see our section on Steps in a Class Action.
Court Documents
The following documents provide more information about the proposed class action:
Notice of Action and Statement of Claim
Filed June 2026
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The Statement of Claim sets out the allegations, proposed class definitions, legal claims, and remedies sought. The allegations have not yet been proven in Court.
Who May Be Included
The proposed class includes two groups.
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General Children Class
Current and former individuals who were in the custody or under the supervision of the Province of Nova Scotia and who were placed in, or spent time in, a Therapeutic Quiet Room between 2011 and the present.
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Children with Serious Mental Illness Class
Current and former individuals who were in the custody or under the supervision of the Province of Nova Scotia, were placed in or spent time in a Therapeutic Quiet Room between 2011 and the present, and had certain mental health diagnoses before their TQR confinement.
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Because this case has just been filed, the Court has not yet decided whether it can proceed as a class action. The proposed class definitions may change as the case moves forward.
Potential Class Members
If you believe you may have experienced staffing-related lockdowns while in provincial custody in Nova Scotia, you do not need to take any steps at this time.
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You are welcome to complete PATH’s potential class member form so we can keep your information on file and contact you if there are important updates.
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Completing the form does not guarantee that you are a class member or that you will receive compensation. The Court must first decide whether the case can proceed as a class action.
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Alternatively, you may call our class action phone line and leave a message with your name, date of birth, and contact information.
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CLASS ACTION PHONE LINE: 1 (888) ###-####
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Please note that PATH does receive the messages left on this voicemail and we update our class action interest lists accordingly, but we cannot return calls. If you want further confirmation that your message was received, please provide a contact email address and we will do our best to send a confirmation email within one week.
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