MONTREAL, March 11,
2025 /CNW/ - Joey Zukran of LPC Avocats and
Michael Vathilakis of Renno &
Vathilakis Inc. announced today that the $500 million settlement agreement with George
Weston Limited ("Weston") and Loblaw Companies Limited ("Loblaw")
to settle their involvement in nationwide class action lawsuits
related to industry-wide price fixing for certain packaged bread
products was executed by the parties on January 31, 2025.
The settlement is subject to court approval in Ontario and Quebec. The Ontario Settlement Approval
Hearing will take place in Toronto
on May 5, 2025. The Quebec Settlement
Approval Hearing will take place in Montreal on June 16,
2025. If the settlement is approved, it will resolve all
claims against Loblaw and Weston
relating to this matter and Loblaw, Weston and related companies will receive a
full and final release on behalf of all individuals and businesses
resident in Canada who purchased
Packaged Bread for personal use or for resale from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2021.
The settlement provides for a cash payment by Weston and Loblaw of $404 million, with $96
million already paid by Loblaw through the previously
announced Loblaw Card Program. The settlement funds, less
court-approved expenses, will be allocated 78% for settlement class
members resident in Canada outside
Quebec and 22% for settlement
class members resident in Quebec,
and distributed for the benefit of eligible class members in
accordance with a plan of distribution to be approved by the
courts. "This resolution not only acknowledges the harm caused, but
it also provides the relief Canadian consumers deserve," said Joey
Zukran, Founder, LPC Avocats.
"Following extensive negotiations, we are more than confident
that this significant monetary settlement represents a very fair
outcome for Canadians," said Michael
Vathilakis, Co-founding Partner, Renno & Vathilakis
Inc.
The settlement also provides access to information that will be
used in continuing the case against the remaining defendants Canada
Bread, Sobeys, Metro, Wal-Mart Canada, and Giant Tiger.
The proposed plan of distribution provides that individuals who
purchased Packaged Bread for their personal use and not for resale
may claim compensation against 99.5% of net settlement funds
allocated for consumers through a claims process to be established.
The amount of their compensation will depend on the number of
approved claims. The courts will decide at a later time how the
0.5% of net settlement funds allocated for businesses and other
purchasers of Packaged Bread for resale in the same or a modified
form will be distributed.
If you are an individual or business resident in Quebec and you purchased Packaged
Bread in Quebec between
January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2021, inclusively, you are
automatically included in the Quebec settlement class.
- If you do not want to participate in the Quebec class action, the deadline to
opt-out/exclude yourself is May 30,
2025.
- If you want to object to or comment on the
Loblaw/Weston settlement, the
deadline is May 30, 2025.
The full Notice, additional information, and Opt-Out and
Objection Forms are available
at www.QuebecBreadSettlement.ca or by
calling 1-888-677-5770.
For information on the Ontario class action go to
www.CanadianBreadSettlement.ca.
SOURCE: LPC Avocats and Renno & Vathilakis Inc.
SOURCE Concilia Services Inc.
