Lawsuit alleging abuse at Saskatoon’s Legacy Christian Academy moves forward

A legal battle involving former students of Legacy Christian Academy and its affiliated Mile Two Church is moving forward after Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal overturned a judge’s decision to dismiss the proposed class action.

In 2022, the $25 million lawsuit was filed by students who attended the school, alleging systemic abuse. The class-action lawsuit originally named 22 individuals associated with the church and school, including former principals Keith Johnson and Ken Schultz.

The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court.

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Justice Rochelle Wempe dismissed the proposed class action in June of 2025, citing an abuse of process. In her decision, she said the plaintiffs involved failed to immediately disclose settlement agreements reached with three of the named defendants.

In a Saskatchewan Court of Appeal decision issued on Thursday, a panel of three judges said there was no evidence the delay in disclosing the settlements interfered with the legal process.

“Although the plaintiffs would have been well-advised to have promptly disclosed the terms of the settlements, several considerations compel me to conclude that no abuse of process has occurred,” Chief Justice Robert Leurer said, along with Justice Jerome Tholl and Justice Keith Kilback.

Grant Scharfstein, the lawyer representing the plaintiffs in the proposed class action, said the matter should never have been stayed and he’s pleased with the court’s decision.

“It points out any errors that were made by the King’s Bench court and certainly exonerates the plaintiffs 100 per cent, saying they’ve done nothing wrong in this matter,” he said in an interview with 650 CKOM.

Scharfstein said he expects a certification hearing will take place early next year. If the class action is certified, the case will then move forward, a process which Scharfstein said could take another year or two.

“Rest assured that we’re pressing ahead with all due diligence to get this matter before the courts as soon as possible,” he said.

The defendants have 60 days to seek permission to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, which would decide whether the appeal can move forward.

“We’re hopeful that they don’t apply, and if they do, we don’t believe leave would be granted,” Scharfstein said.

Editor’s Note: The headline of this article has been updated for clarity.