Media Statement from National Counsel for the Consortium of Provinces and Territories

TORONTO, March 6, 2025 /CNW/ - In response to media inquiries regarding the decision of Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Morawetz approving the plan to resolve the Canadian tobacco litigation, national counsel for the consortium of six provinces and three territories has issued the following media statement:

"On behalf of our clients - the governments of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut – we are pleased to say that a final plan for compensation from the tobacco companies has been approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

After more than two decades of litigation, Chief Justice Morawetz concluded that the plan recommended by former Chief Justice Winkler, after his mediated process, was the appropriate basis on which to resolve all aspects of the litigation.

This result is truly historic. In total, $32.5 billion will go to individuals who have suffered damage, to governments to recoup health costs associated with smoking-related disease and apply that to our health care systems today, and a foundation to research new treatments. The amount of compensation in this plan is by far the largest resolution of its kind in Canadian history and the third largest in the world.

We thank former Chief Justice Winkler for his important work in getting the parties to this resolution.

This has been a long and grueling legal road to justice. Tremendous damage was caused by the deceptive marketing practices of the tobacco industry in the past. No amount of money can compensate for that. But thanks to the steely determination and commitment of our Provincial and Territorial government clients and citizens across Canada, there is now some measure of justice as well as a significant injection of much needed resources into our health system."

-  National Counsel for the consortium of provinces and territories*

*National counsel for the consortium is comprised of three primary firms and the associated case leads: Mike Eizenga of Bennett Jones, André I.G. Michael of Siskinds and Michael Peerless of Peerless Law.

SOURCE Profile Communications Corp.