EMSB $8.725M Sexual Assault Settlement, Who May Qualify and What Happens Next

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) has agreed to a proposed settlement of C3.4milliontoC8.725 million to resolve a Quebec class action over sexual assaults allegedly committed by former principal and teacher Phillip (Hart) Baugniet.

Two things matter most right now:

• The settlement is not final. The Superior Court of Quebec will hear the approval motion on October 28, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
• You cannot file a claim yet. The class counsel’s own page says no claim can be submitted and the claims process has not begun. October 19 is a deadline to object, not a deadline to claim.

If the court approves the deal, eligible people will go through a confidential process run by a retired judge acting as adjudicator, not by the school board.

This article discusses child sexual abuse allegations. If you or someone you know needs support, class counsel says calls and emails to its lawyers are free and confidential.

EMSB Baugniet Settlement Quick Facts

Detail	Current information
Case	C. c. English Montréal School Board and Philip (Hart) Baugniet
Court and file number	Superior Court of Quebec, District of Montreal, No. 500-06-001221-239
Settling defendant	English Montreal School Board (EMSB)
Other defendant	The late Phillip (Hart) Baugniet (his estate is not part of the claims process)
Settlement amount	C3,400,000toC8,725,000 (Global Settlement Fund)
Who decides claims	A retired judge serving as adjudicator
Class authorized	June 27, 2024
Objection deadline	October 19, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
Approval hearing	October 28, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., Room 15.02, Montreal Courthouse, and by Microsoft Teams
Presiding judge	The Honourable Dominique Poulin, J.S.C.
Claim deadline	Not yet set
Payment date	Not yet set
Class counsel	Kugler Kandestin LLP (KW Legal), 514-878-2861

Who Qualifies for the EMSB Baugniet Settlement?

The class covers people who were minors when they were sexually assaulted by Baugniet, where the assaults happened in connection with his time as principal, teacher, manager or supervisor at Lachine High School, Victoria School or FACE School (Fine Arts Core Education) in Montreal.

The class also includes the estate of an eligible person who has died since August 21, 2019.

Class counsel’s page says eligibility is decided by the adjudicator, not by the EMSB, so anyone who thinks they may qualify should speak with class counsel rather than guess.

What the EMSB Baugniet Class Action Alleges

The Superior Court of Quebec authorized the class action on June 27, 2024. The lawsuit was brought against both Baugniet and the EMSB. According to CBC’s reporting on the authorization, students alleged abuse while he worked as a principal or teacher at three schools between the 1960s and 1990s.

These are allegations. The settlement is a negotiated resolution and is not a court finding that the allegations were proven.

How Much Is the EMSB Baugniet Settlement Worth?

The Global Settlement Fund starts at C3.4millionandriseswiththenumberofclaimstheadjudicatorfindseligible,uptoC8.725 million at 46 eligible members, according to the court notice.

That maximum is not a per-person payment. The adjudicator assigns each eligible member to a compensation category under tiers set out in the agreement, so payments will differ. The notice does not publish a per-category dollar table, so nobody can honestly promise a specific amount yet.

Legal fees come out of the fund. Some other costs do not.

• Class counsel will ask Justice Poulin to approve its legal fees and disbursements, payable from the Global Settlement Fund. The notice does not state the fee amount or percentage. The full figures are in the Application to Approve the Settlement, available from class counsel.
• The EMSB pays separately, on top of the fund: judicial costs, the plaintiff’s expert fees, the cost of notices, and the adjudicator’s costs and fees.

What Happens If More Than 46 EMSB Baugniet Claims Are Eligible?

The agreement handles this directly. If more than 46 claims are found eligible, the plaintiff can:

1. Keep the fund as is and divide it among everyone found eligible;
2. Renegotiate in good faith, subject to court approval; or
3. If no new deal is reached, rescind the agreement, which would put the parties back where they were and revive the class action.

How the EMSB Baugniet Claims Process Will Work

• Confidential. The EMSB and the Baugniet estate have no involvement in the claims process and no right to contest claims, per class counsel.
• Reviewed by a retired judge. The adjudicator decides whether you are a class member and which compensation category applies.
• Claim form plus supporting documents. The notice says each member must submit a claim form. Class counsel states the agreement, claims process and form are posted on its website, but also states that no claim can be submitted at this time.
• Deadline to be announced. If the court approves the settlement, class counsel says it will publish the steps and the claims deadline.

How to Prepare Before the EMSB Baugniet Claims Deadline Is Announced

1. Confirm you fit the class definition: a minor at the time, assaulted by Baugniet, connected to Lachine High School, Victoria School or FACE School.
2. Contact class counsel. Kugler Kandestin LLP (KW Legal) lawyers Alexandre Paquette-Dénommé, David Stolow and Pierre Boivin are listed on the notice. The firm’s main line is 514-878-2861, and it states communications are free and strictly confidential.
3. Read the official notice and settlement agreement on class counsel’s page before the hearing.
4. Watch for the court’s decision after October 28 and for the announced claims deadline.

How to Object to the EMSB Baugniet Settlement by October 19

Members who object must send a written statement to class counsel and to the Clerk of the Superior Court of Montreal, attention Justice Dominique Poulin, by October 19, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The statement must include:

1. Your name, address, phone number and email;
2. A statement that you believe you are a class member, with your reasons;
3. A brief description of the objection and its grounds;
4. Whether you plan to appear at the hearing; and
5. If you will have a lawyer, that lawyer’s name, address, phone number and email.

Members with no objection do not have to attend the hearing to benefit if the settlement is approved.

EMSB Baugniet Settlement Approval Hearing: October 28, 2026

Justice Poulin will hear the motion at 9:30 a.m. in Room 15.02 of the Montreal Courthouse, with a Microsoft Teams option. The court will consider three things: whether to approve the settlement, whether to approve the claims process, and class counsel’s fees and disbursements.

EMSB Baugniet Settlement Key Dates

Event	Date
Class action authorized	June 27, 2024
Settlement announced by class counsel	September 26, 2026
Objection deadline	October 19, 2026, 4:30 p.m.
Approval hearing	October 28, 2026, 9:30 a.m.
Claims deadline	Not yet set
Payments	Not yet set

How This Differs From a Typical Consumer Settlement

Most settlements we cover here, such as product or data-breach cases, involve an online claim form and a fixed payment per person. This one is different. It involves individual allegations of abuse, confidential documentation, and case-by-case review by a retired judge. Related coverage on AllAboutLawyer includes Uber Sexual Assault MDL, Lyft Records Order & Case Status and Boy Scouts of America Lawsuit 2026, $2.46B Settlement Update Payments Underway, $1.65B Released After Supreme Court Decision. For general background, see our Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Guide.

EMSB Baugniet Settlement FAQ

Is the EMSB Baugniet settlement approved?

No. The Superior Court of Quebec will hear the approval motion on October 28, 2026.

How much is the EMSB Baugniet settlement?

C3.4milliontoC8.725 million, depending on how many claims the adjudicator finds eligible, up to 46 members.

Can I file an EMSB Baugniet settlement claim now?

No. Class counsel states that no claim can be submitted and the claims process has not begun. A claims deadline will be announced if the court approves the deal.

Is October 19 the EMSB Baugniet claim deadline?

No. October 19, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. is the deadline to submit a written objection.

Do I have to attend the EMSB Baugniet approval hearing?

Not if you have no objection. Class counsel says members do not need to attend to benefit from an approved settlement.

Who decides whether an EMSB Baugniet claim qualifies?

A retired judge acting as adjudicator. The EMSB and the Baugniet estate have no role.

Does the EMSB Baugniet settlement admit the allegations are true?

No. It is a negotiated resolution, not a judicial finding.

Will everyone get the same EMSB Baugniet payment?

No. Compensation depends on the category the adjudicator assigns under the agreement’s tiers.

Who pays the class counsel fees in the EMSB Baugniet case?

Class counsel will ask the court to approve fees payable from the Global Settlement Fund. Other costs, including the adjudicator’s, are paid separately by the EMSB.

Who are the class lawyers in the EMSB Baugniet case?

Kugler Kandestin LLP (KW Legal) in Montreal, phone 514-878-2861.

Sources

1. Notice of Hearing on the Motion to Approve a Settlement Agreement, C. c. English Montréal School Board and Phillip (Hart) Baugniet, No. 500-06-001221-239, approved by Justice Dominique Poulin, J.C.S.
2. KW Legal (Kugler Kandestin LLP), Class Action Against Philip (Hart) Baugniet, updated September 26, 2026.
3. CBC News, “Quebec judge authorizes class action against former principal, EMSB over sexual assault allegations”.

AllAboutLawyer.com is a legal information website, not a law firm or claims administrator. This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. The settlement remains subject to court approval, and terms or deadlines may change by court order.

By Israr Ahmad, Legal Content Researcher