On December 5, 2025, a class action was brought against the Attorney General of Québec and all Québec Youth Protection Director (“YPD”).
Plaintiff alleges that the Defendants unlawfully operate a “birth alerts” scheme. These alerts consist of warnings issued by the YPD about pregnant persons to facilities where they are likely to give birth (for example, hospitals or birthing centres). The plaintiff alleges that the YPD lack authority to intervene with respect to unborn children and that these alerts rely on the illegal use and disclosure of personal, confidential, and sensitive information, often without the knowledge of the pregnant persons concerned, and in violation of their fundamental rights – including their rights to liberty, security, equality, privacy, and dignity – protected by the Canadian Charter and the Québec Charter..
This class action concerns any person who was subject of a “birth alert” while they were pregnant.
Being subjected to a birth alert caused these individuals, among other things, psychological distress, shame, a loss of dignity associated with stigma, harm to their relationship with their newborn, different hospital treatment, and a mistrust of the healthcare system, in addition to a violation of their fundamental rights.
If you are a member of the class action, we invite you to visit the page dedicated to this class action to subscribe to our mailing list.