A class-action lawsuit application has been filed in Quebec Superior Court against approximately 30 school service centres and school boards over the designation of a single supplier for the purchase of uniforms. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, to be determined, for guardians who have been required to purchase clothing for a minor child from a school’s designed uniform supplier and who fall under the jurisdiction named in the lawsuit since Sept. 20, 2023. The English Montreal School Board, Lester-B.-Pearson School Board and New Frontiers School Board are among some school boards and school service centres named in the lawsuit. The lawsuit argues that public schools are prohibited from requiring students to purchase school uniforms from a specific supplier under the Education Act, which prevent schools from requiring guardians to purchase specific branded items, including pencils and backpacks. One of the lawyers involved in the case, Benjamin Polifort, said the goal of the lawsuit is to change this practice among schools. “We want schools to comply with the provisions of the law and change the way they operate,” he told CTV News. “Currently, by requiring students to purchase mandatory school uniforms from a single designated supplier, schools are violating the law and discriminating on the basis of social class.” The lawsuit was initiated by a mother whose daughter attends Paul-Arseneau High School (ESPA), a school under a jurisdiction named in the lawsuit. She alleged she was required to purchase new uniform items through the school’s designated supplier and was not allowed to buy the items from alternative retailers. The lawsuit states that she asked the school if she could purchase a polo shirt or a solid-color sweater elsewhere that matched the school’s official colors. She also asked whether the school offered other options for purchasing items. The school told the mother her child, “must absolutely have the ESPA polo shirt,” suggesting that she purchase a used one on Marketplace, at thrift stores, or at the used clothing sale held in the school gym. “The school administration thus confirms that only clothing from the school’s collection is accepted,” the lawsuit reads. According to the lawsuit, she spent $229.71 for her daughter’s school uniform for the 2024-2025 school year. However, the firm handling the case said that, based on their own investigation, it was able to find cheaper alternatives for all the items at other retailers, which would have saved her $136.80 on that order. For the following school year, she spent $97.50 but could have saved $54.50 by purchasing cheaper alternatives elsewhere. “The price difference between the designated uniform supplier and a big-box retailer is significant. While some parents may be able to afford the higher prices, this is not the case for everyone. This constitutes discrimination based on social class,” Polifort said. “We are not seeking to abolish school uniforms or to make them free. We want parents to have the option of choosing the supplier they prefer, one that fits their budget.” Guardians who were required to purchase school uniforms from a designated supplier are automatically enrolled in the class-action lawsuit.
