British Columbia has received its first payment as part of a major tobacco settlement with provinces, territories and former smokers.
The $936 million initial payment to B.C. is part of more than $3.6 billion the province is set to receive over the next 18 years.
An Ontario judge approved the historic $32.5 billion compensation plan in March, after a decades-long legal fight and mediation process.
B.C. was the first province to initiate legal action in 1998 against the three principal Canadian tobacco manufacturers – JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. – and their foreign parent corporations.
B.C. and other provinces sought to recover the cost of treating tobacco-related diseases, caused by alleged wrongful conduct in the manufacture, promotion and sale of tobacco products.
“No amount of money will ever bring back the people we’ve lost to tobacco-related illnesses, nor will it make up for those lives ruined by addiction. However, this is a welcome step in our mission to see justice delivered to British Columbians,” said B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma in a statement Friday.
“The message this victory sends should be clear to all. We will not stand idly by while multinational companies engage in deceptive practices that cause widespread harm at significant cost to people,” said Sharma.
The province has said the settlement funds will be invested into cancer treatment and primary care, along with expanding research into treatments and promoting smoking cessation.
As part of the court-approved resolution, compensation is also being offered to individuals across Canada who meet the eligibility criteria.
Canadians outside of Quebec can seek compensation for those diagnosed with a tobacco-related disease between March 8, 2015, and March 8, 2019, after smoking cigarettes sold by the three tobacco companies.
