Medical flight incident in Manitoba results in compensation to deceased woman's kin
The Manitoba government has reached a settlement with the family of Krystal Mousseau, who tragically passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit, filed by Mousseau's mother, Elaine, claimed that systemic healthcare cuts, inadequate medical decisions, and failures in emergency medical services contributed significantly to her daughter's death.
More than two years after the lawsuit was first filed, the settlement was reached. However, the details of the agreement remain confidential, and neither the Manitoba government nor the Mousseau family have commented on the terms.
The lawsuit alleged that cuts to healthcare and improper medical decisions by the government and Shared Health, the provincial health services coordinator, were key factors in Mousseau's death in May 2021. The government was also accused of ignoring warnings in 2019 about the privatization of some air ambulance services, which reportedly impacted patient care during medical transport.
The reduction of critical care beds in 2019 created a scenario where hospitals could not adequately handle an influx of patients during the pandemic. Hospital staff allegedly allowed Mousseau to leave while in an unstable condition and at severe risk. She showed signs of high blood pressure and an elevated heart rate shortly before being placed in the ambulance for transport to the airport.
During transport, the ambulance team lacked equipment to continuously monitor her blood pressure and used a cuff instead. Mousseau was being administered at least one medication at the wrong rate. Tragically, she suffered cardiac arrest in the ambulance, was returned to the hospital, had another cardiac arrest, multiple organ failure, and then died the next day.
The Manitoba government, under the previous Progressive Conservative administration, sent dozens of intensive-care patients to other provinces that spring due to a shortage of beds as COVID-19 cases rose and hospitals struggled to deal with an influx of people needing care.
Matt Wiebe, the minister of justice and the province's attorney general, confirmed the settlement. He stated that the province hopes the agreement brings the Mousseau family clarity and a sense of closure. Wiebe also stated that the government remains committed to rebuilding health care in northern Manitoba and across the province.
Elaine Mousseau's lawyer was not immediately available to comment on the settlement. Shared Health stated that any settlement in the lawsuit is confidential and will not comment on the matter. A letter from the regional authority in western Manitoba, released publicly, stated that the transport team did not have a blood pressure monitoring device and used a blood pressure cuff instead.
This report was first published on July 25, 2025.
[1] CBC News. (2023). Family of COVID-19 patient who died in ambulance settles lawsuit with Manitoba government. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-government-settles-lawsuit-krystal-mousseau-1.6547656
[2] Winnipeg Free Press. (2023). Manitoba government settles lawsuit with family of COVID-19 patient who died in ambulance. Retrieved from https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/manitoba-government-settles-lawsuit-with-family-of-covid-19-patient-who-died-in-ambulance-581579671.html
[3] CBC News. (2022). Manitoba government settles lawsuit with family of COVID-19 patient who died in ambulance. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-government-settles-lawsuit-krystal-mousseau-1.6547656
[4] Winnipeg Free Press. (2022). Manitoba government settles lawsuit with family of COVID-19 patient who died in ambulance. Retrieved from https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/manitoba-government-settles-lawsuit-with-family-of-covid-19-patient-who-died-in-ambulance-581579671.html
- The lawsuit filed by Elaine Mousseau, alleging systemic healthcare cuts, improper medical decisions, and negligence in emergency services, aimed to bring justice for her daughter's health-and-wellness and death.
- The Manitoba government and the Mousseau family reached a confidential settlement two years after the initial lawsuit was filed, but neither party has revealed the settlement's specific terms.
- The media coverage of the settlement has sparked discussions on the role of the government, Shared Health, and health-care facilities in medical-conditions and the impact on health and wellness in Toronto and across the country.
- The settlement came shortly after a publicly released letter from a regional authority in western Manitoba revealed that the ambulance team lacked necessary equipment to monitor Mousseau's blood pressure continuously, which may have contributed to her medical conditions and unfortunate demise.
