The proposed settlement is not yet approved. The Court will be asked to approve the proposed settlement at the Settlement Approval Hearing.
Your Options
Learn about your options under the proposed settlement so you can decide what is right for you.
You can take time to learn about the proposed settlement and decide what to do next. You may be included in the Birth Alerts BC Class Action if a Birth Alert was issued about you in British Columbia.
What is a Birth Alert?
A Birth Alert was a notice sent by a child welfare worker from the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) or delegated Indigenous agencies to a hospital saying that a pregnant person’s child was in need of protection and that the hospital should notify child welfare authorities from MCFD when the pregnant person arrived at the hospital to give birth or when the baby was born. Many people did not know this message had been sent. Some only learned about it years later. Others may still not know it happened to them.
What is the Settlement Approval Hearing?
The Settlement Approval Hearing is when the Supreme Court of British Columbia will decide whether to approve the proposed settlement.
The hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the Vancouver Courthouse.
You do not need to attend the hearing. Class Counsel will attend and answer the Court’s questions. If you object and ask to speak at the hearing, you may be able to do so.
Your options
You have several options under the proposed settlement. You can choose to:
- Stay in the proposed settlement and submit a Claim for compensation
- Opt out of the proposed settlement
- Object to the proposed settlement
- Do nothing
Stay in the proposed settlement and submit a Claim
If you stay in the proposed settlement, you can submit a Claim for compensation.
If your Claim is approved, you will receive compensation.
Indigenous class members who submit an approved Claim will receive additional compensation.
You will not be able to start your own legal action against the Province for the Claims that are released in this class action.
There are a few different ways to receive and submit your Claim Form.
1. Submit your Claim using the online Claims portal.
2. Download the Claim Form, fill it in, and mail or fax it with copies of your identification and other documents.
3. Call a Claims Helper who can mail a copy of the Claim Form to you. Your completed Claim Form can be sent back by mail or fax with copies of your identification and other documents.
Opt out of the proposed settlement
You can choose to opt out of the proposed settlement. This means:
- You remove yourself from the class action
- You will not receive compensation from this Settlement if it is approved
- The proposed settlement will not apply to you
If you opt out, you can still take legal action on your own, but you will need to pay your own legal costs. You may wish to speak with a lawyer before making this decision.
How to opt out
To opt out, you need to complete an Opt Out Form. You can download and complete the Form or you can have one sent to you by calling the Info Line at 1-833-632-6557.
Your completed Opt Out Form needs to be sent by December 8, 2026.
You can submit the form in several ways:
- By Email: ClaimsHelper-BABC@BirthAlertsBC.ca
- By Fax: +1 833 233 2982
- By Mail:
Notice Provider, Birth Alerts BC Class Action
c/o Castlemain
688 Rue Saint Joseph, Winnipeg, MB R2H 3E2
Claims Helpers can support you in understanding the process or completing the form.
Object to the proposed settlement
If you disagree with the proposed settlement, the Distribution Plan, or Class Counsel’s request for legal fees, you can share these concerns with the Court.
You can:
- send in a completed Objection Form
- ask to speak in Court about your objection if you choose
If you object:
- The Court will consider your concerns before making a decision
- You can still submit a Claim for compensation if the proposed settlement is approved
Objecting does not remove you from the proposed Settlement.
How to object
To submit your objection, you need to complete an Objection Form. You can download and complete the Form or you can have one sent to you by calling the Info Line at 1-833-632-6557.
You need to submit your completed Objection Form by November 20, 2026.
You can submit the form in several ways:
- By Email: ClaimsHelper-BABC@BirthAlertsBC.ca
- By Fax: +1 833 233 2982
- By Mail:
Notice Provider, Birth Alerts BC Class Action
c/o Castlemain
688 Rue Saint Joseph, Winnipeg, MB R2H 3E2
Claims Helpers can support you in understanding the process or completing the form.
Do Nothing
You can choose to do nothing:
- You will not receive compensation unless you submit a Claim
- You will remain part of the proposed settlement
- If the proposed settlement is approved, it will still apply to you
This means you will not be able to start your own legal action against the Province for the Claims that are settled in this class action.
What is the difference between objecting and opting out?
Objecting to the proposed settlement and opting out are not the same thing.
- Object: Objecting means you are staying in the proposed settlement, but you want to tell the Court that you disagree with part of it.
- Opt-Out: Opting out means you are choosing not to be part of the proposed settlement. You will not receive compensation from the proposed settlement.
If you have any questions about objecting to or opting out of the settlement, call the Info Line at 1-833-632-6557 or email at ClaimsHelper-BABC@BirthAlertsBC.ca.
FAQs
What are my options?
You have four options:
- Stay in the proposed settlement and submit a Claim.
- Opt out of the proposed settlement.
- Object to the proposed settlement.
- Do nothing.
Each option has different results. Learn more about your options.
What does it mean to stay in the proposed settlement?
If you stay in the proposed settlement, you can submit a Claim for compensation.
If the Court approves the proposed settlement, it will apply to you. If you submit a Claim Form and the Administrator determines you are eligible, you will receive compensation.
If you stay in the proposed settlement you will not be able to start your own legal action against the Province for the same issues covered by this class action.
The released Claims are explained in Sections 5.1 to 5.3 of the Settlement Agreement. You can read the full Settlement Agreement here.
What does it mean to opt out?
Opting out means you remove yourself from the class action.
If you opt out, you will not receive compensation from the proposed settlement if it is approved. The proposed settlement will not apply to you. You may choose to pursue your own legal action, and you will need to pay your own legal costs.
Learn more about opting out.
What does it mean to object?
Objecting means you are telling the Court that you disagree with the proposed settlement or how the money will be shared.
You can object in writing by filling out an objection form. You can also ask to speak at the Settlement Approval Hearing by indicating this on your Objection Form. The Court will consider objections before deciding whether to approve the proposed settlement.
Learn more about objecting.
If I object, can I still receive compensation?
Yes. If the Court approves the proposed settlement, you can still submit a Claim for compensation even if you objected.
Objecting does not remove you from the class action.
What is the difference between opting out and objecting?
Opting out means you are choosing not to be part of the proposed settlement.
- You will not receive compensation from the proposed settlement.
- You will keep the right to take legal action on your own.
- If you opt out, the proposed settlement no longer applies to you, so you cannot object to it.
Objecting means you are staying in the proposed settlement, but you want to tell the Court that you disagree with part of it.
- You can object to the proposed settlement itself, to how the money will be shared, or to the legal fees.
- You will still need to submit a Claim if you want to receive compensation.
- If you object, you are still part of the proposed settlement and give up the right to sue the Province on your own, if it is approved by the Court.
What happens if I do nothing?
If you do nothing, you will not get any money from the proposed settlement even if it is approved by the Court. You will not be able to start your own legal action against the Province for the Claims that are settled in this class action.
If the Court approves the proposed settlement, the release will still apply to you. This means you will not be able to start your own legal action against the Province for the same issues covered by this class action.
You will not receive compensation unless you submit a Claim.
