1996. British Columbia becomes the first province in Canada to close large institutions for people with developmental disabilities, in favour of integration into the community. Woodlands School was an institution in New Westminster that housed children with mental disabilities, also previously named the Provincial Asylum for the Insane, and the Provincial Hospital for the Insane. In 1981, due to pressure on the part of families, the government announced plans to close Woodlands (Woodlands Institution, 2015). Community placements occurred over the next 15 years, before the institution closed (Woodlands Institution, 2015).

In 2000, several former Woodlands patients came forward with allegations of abuse at the institution. It has been criticized as being unfit for care of its patients. Provincial Ombudsman Dulcie McCallum was asked to prepare a review for the Ministry for Children and Families. The review found evidence of abuse at Woodlands, and suggested an apology be issued and further investigation into BC institutions (Woodlands, 2015).

A class action lawsuit was launched in 2002 against the provincial government, and a settlement was proposed in 2009 (Woodlands Institution, 2015). The compensation process for survivors of Woodlands has been extremely slow, and as of early 2013 only about 10 claims have been filed. Any residents who left the institution before 1974 are also currently excluded from compensation (Woodlands Institution, 2015)

-Erna Kurbegovic, and Colette Leung

• Disability Alliance BC. (2014). Woodlands School. Disability Alliance BC. (Website). Retrieved from http://www.bccpd.bc.ca/campaigns/woodlands/default.htm.

• Woodlands Institution. (2015). Inclusion BC. Retrieved from http://www.inclusionbc.org/our-priority-areas/disability-supports/institutions/woodlands-insitution