A local Saskatoon school could be taking over a location from a qualified independent school that has been attached to a civil suit and abuse allegations.
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Education said in a statement to Global News that Westdale Christian Academy is interested in relocating to the facility currently occupied by Legacy Christian Academy.
A $25-million class-action lawsuit against the provincial government and Mile Two Church, which operated Legacy Christian Academy — formerly known as Christian Centre Academy — was announced in 2022 and five criminal court cases developed after the civil suit.
The statement of claim launched by former students Caitlin Erickson and Coy Nolin on Aug. 9, 2022, says corporal punishment was used as a correctional tool and that this was reflected in the publications of Mile Two Church Inc.
It also claims that employees, agents and representatives of Mile Two Church Inc. engaged in sexual relationships or sexual fondling of students or churchgoers.
These allegations have not been tested in court.
The ministry said it hasn’t received any “formal” notification about the closure of Legacy Christian Academy, but said if the transition occurred, “all conditions currently in place for Legacy Christian Academy would remain in place at Westdale Christian School.”
This comes after a letter surfaced in reports and on social media outlining the proposed relocation. Global News has not confirmed the source of the letter.
Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill spoke on the matter Thursday.
“We haven’t received any formal letter from Legacy Christian Academy regarding their operational status for the 2024-25 school year,” Cockrill said.
“Legacy needs to close its doors,” said Erickson in an interview Thursday.
“Until it gets to the point where there are no people from 102 Pinehouse Dr. that are in a position of authority over minors, until we get to that point I will always be concerned.”
Erickson said they continue to pursue every avenue available to them.
“We have the criminal cases, the civil cases, we also have regulatory board hearings that are coming up for the three individuals that were actual certified teachers. So we are pursuing this at every single level.”
Global News reached out to Mile Two Church for comment and did not hear back by time of publication.