A tentative settlement has been proposed in the Calgary Stampede Young Canadians lawsuit.
The class-action lawsuit was filed over the Calgary Stampede Foundation having allegedly allowed the sexual abuse of young boys who were students of the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts
For decades, youths from in and around Calgary have performed with the Young Canadians at the Calgary Stampede Grandstand each year.
In 2018, former staffer Phillip Heerema pled guilty to charges related to the sexual abuse of young boys during his time with the organization.
There are an estimated 300 complainants who were male students, employees, contractors, and volunteers with the Young Canadians organization, Calgary Exhibition, or Stampede Limited between August 1987 and January 2014, including a dozen claiming to have suffered direct harm from Heerema's actions.
The Calgary Stampede Foundation, Calgary Exhibition, and Stampede Limited have agreed to settle the lawsuit and pay $9.5 million in damages to complainants.
A Calgary judge will decide whether or not to approve the settlement in June.