A settlement agreement was reached in the class actions against the dioceses of Amos and Trois-Rivières relating to sexual assaults perpetrated by diocesan priests and other employees.
The Arsenault Dufresne Wee law firm announced Friday that the diocese of Amos would pay $9,375,000, and that of Trois-Rivières, $10,625,000.
The collective action against the diocese of Amos brings together 40 victims, while that of Trois-Rivières has 60 victims for the moment. The class action requests were filed in 2021.
According to the request against the diocese of Amos, the applicant, who remained anonymous, alleged to have been sexually assaulted between the ages of 7 and 11 by Father Paul-Émile Bilodeau in Val-d’Or. The latter was then a catechism teacher and delivered mass at the Notre-Dame-de-Fatima church.
In the Trois-Rivières case, the main plaintiff is Dominic Maître, who says he was attacked over a long period starting at the age of ten by Father Bernard St-Onge, who was in charge of the scout movement of the parish of St-Charles-Garnier.
Several other people from the dioceses were denounced in the collective actions.
The cabinet specifies that the agreements do not concern victims of priests who are members of religious congregations.
The agreements must still be approved by the Superior Court.