Firm news

Weston Terrace Care Community Class Action

July 16, 2020

Thomson Rogers has issued a class action proceeding claiming $15 million on behalf of residents of Weston Terrace Care Community and their families.

Weston Terrace Care Community (“Weston Terrace”) is a long-term care home owned by Sienna Senior Living Inc., located in Toronto, Ontario. At least 34 residents at Weston Terrace have died as a result of contracting COVID-19 and related illnesses since April 6, 2020.

Jocelyn and Tara Barrows are the representative plaintiffs. Jocelyn’s mother and Tara’s grandmother, Dorritt, was a resident at Weston Terrace. Dorritt contracted COVID-19 while residing at Weston Terrace and died on May 16, 2020. Dorritt is survived by her 7 children, 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Jocelyn and Tara represent family members of the victims who have lost loved ones, without given the opportunity to say good-bye, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak at Weston Terrace.

It is alleged that following Ontario’s declaration of a State of Emergency on March 17, 2020, Weston Terrace failed to implement screening measures of its staff and basic social distancing practices. It is alleged that during this period, there was severe under-staffing at Weston Terrace and a failure to provide basic care to the residents, including Dorritt, resulting in neglect, illness and death.

Jocelyn, Tara and their family members, as well as other families of the victims and survivors of Weston Terrace, seek compensation for their tragic losses. Jocelyn and Tara support the proposed independent commission into Ontario’s long-term care system, which they hope will result in meaningful change to ensure that a tragedy like this is never repeated in Ontario’s vulnerable long-term care population.

For further information regarding this claim, please contact Stephen Birman at Thomson Rogers (sbirman@thomsonrogers.com / 416-868-3137) or Lucy Jackson (ljackson@thomsonrogers.com / 416-868-3154).