A Metro Vancouver man alleging child sex abuse by a camp counsellor is suing the United Church, Scouts Canada, the City of Vancouver and the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
In a B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim filed May 9, the man — known only as CC#1 — alleges John Frederick Way, now deceased, sexually abused him.
The claim alleges the abuse took place in 1979 at Camp Capilano during a trip jointly organized by Scouts Canada and the United Church.
The boy was nine.
“Way engaged in patterned or habitual predatory behaviour wherein he gained access to male children who were attending Camp Capilano, isolated said children, and sexually abused said children who were attending Camp Capilano,” said the claim filed by lawyer Sandra Kovacs.
Court documents state the camp was located on North Vancouver lands owned by Metro Vancouver under its previous name, Greater Vancouver Regional District.
The claim said Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, operating under the City of Vancouver, established Camp Capilano in about 1954.
It said Way began acting as temporary camp director in 1970, becoming director in 1972.
The claim alleged Way forced the child to urinate in a bucket; held him down underneath the weight of his body; and groped him, among other allegations.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The suit claims breach of duty, fiduciary duty, wilful blindness, and/or negligence of the defendants, Scouts Canada and the United Church.
It asserts the plaintiff has suffered multiple psychological injuries, an impaired ability to be intimate with others, an incapacity or diminished capacity to pursue a post-secondary education, a diminished capacity to commit to stable earning opportunities and multiple other damages.
The suit seeks non-pecuniary and aggravated damages, loss of past earning capacity, loss of future earning capacity, special damages, punitive damages and health-care costs.
City of Vancouver spokesperson Megan Jensen said the city could not comment as the matter is before the courts.
Metro Vancouver had not yet been served with the notice of civil claim Thursday afternoon, said spokesperson Jennifer Saltman.
“As such, we are not in a position to comment at this time,” she said.
Scouts Canada spokesperson Anissa Stambouli said "Camp Capilano was not a Scouts Canada owned or operated property."
Stambouli said nothing is more important to the organization than the youth in its care.
"We have and continue to support the legal process and authority investigations when claims are brought forward, including historical disclosures," she said.
Spokesperson Lori-Ann Livingston said the United Church of Canada cannot comment on current litigation.
