Province named as defendant in proposed lawsuit over Northwood COVID-19 deaths
53 residents died at the Halifax long-term care facility during the pandemic's first wave
The province of Nova Scotia has been formally added as a defendant in a proposed class-action lawsuit against Northwood, a long-term care home in Halifax where 53 residents died during the COVID-19 pandemic's first wave.
The lawsuit that was filed in June 2020 alleges Northwood's practices and policies caused COVID-19 to spread through the facility, causing the death of residents and damages to their surviving relatives.
Amendments filed in court on Monday by Wagners Law Firm claim the province's repeated budget cuts and freezes in the long-term care sector left residents at risk to the spread of infectious disease.
The proposed class action also alleges that the province was negligent in its regulation and oversight at Northwood, including its disregard for licensing issues and health and safety violations.
Halifax lawyer Ray Wagner said if it proceeds, the lawsuit would shed some light on what unfolded at Northwood in the early days of the pandemic.
"Class members still don't have answers about the chaotic outbreak, acknowledgements that actionable steps will be taken to prevent such a tragedy in the future, or even an apology," he said in a statement. "These remedies are, to some, just as important as compensation for the loss of their loved ones sought by the action."
The proposed lawsuit has not yet been certified.