Settlement information disclosed in class action lawsuit involving Leduc

The City of Leduc faced a class action lawsuit from 155 women who alleged sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace and have been awarded a $9,527,500 settlement. The details of the payout were made public by the law firm BD&P on May 5. They specified that women who worked for the City of Leduc between 2002 and 2023 and experienced such misconduct were eligible to file a claim.

The announcement of the settlement details followed a court hearing on January 31, 2025, where the plaintiffs requested permission to disclose the numbers. Despite the City of Leduc opposing the release of these figures, the court ruled in favor of making them public on March 31. Christa Steele, a former firefighter with the City of Leduc and one of the plaintiffs, emphasized the importance of bringing the truth to light to validate the experiences of the women involved and provide them with compensation and closure.

Steele expressed gratitude for the courage shown by all the women who came forward and stressed the need for their voices to be heard to facilitate transparency and create real change in how workplace misconduct is addressed. The city’s response to the settlement emphasized their commitment to fostering a safe and respectful workplace environment and implementing various measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The statement released by the City of Leduc assured residents that the settlement costs would not impact future property taxes, as they were covered by insurance. The city acknowledged the significant impact of the lawsuit and outlined steps taken to prevent recurrence of such situations, including training programs, policy revisions, and the development of a code of conduct.

Lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, Robert Martz, commended the strength and bravery of the women who shared their stories and made claims throughout the settlement process. He highlighted the importance of providing these women with some form of compensation to acknowledge the hardships they endured. The lawsuit, initially filed by firefighters Christa Steele and Mindy Smith, highlighted systemic issues of discrimination and misconduct within Leduc Fire Services.

Following negotiations between the Plaintiffs and the City, a settlement agreement was reached and submitted to the Court of King’s Bench for approval in June 2023. Throughout the ordeal, the focus remained on achieving justice for the women impacted by these incidents and ensuring a safe, respectful work environment for all employees of the City of Leduc.