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CBC
17-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Opposition questions spending plans, with P.E.I. set to get $168M in tobacco settlement
Social Sharing There were questions in the P.E.I. legislature this week about how the province will spend its share of a massive settlement with the tobacco industry. The $32.5-billion agreement among Canadian provinces and territories and the major tobacco companies — JTI-Macdonald Corp., Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd., and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges — compensates governments for health-care costs related to smoking-related illnesses. The legal battle dates back decades. P.E.I. is set to receive $168 million over the next 15 to 20 years. In the legislature on Wednesday, Liberal MLA Robert Henderson asked Justice and Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson for details on how the money will be allocated. "In the recent budget tabled in this legislature under revenue from provincial sources, P.E.I. is receiving a $36.4-million windfall from tobacco litigation," Henderson said. "This money seems to be going to general revenue, but I can't find any budget lines that say how that money goes to families of smokers who have health-related deaths from tobacco. How do families claim that money?" In response, Thompson said: "The money is designated for the health-care system to help deal with the situations from smoking over the years. It will be a great help to our health-care system and there is a way that individuals can apply for some money. "I would be happy to table the procedure on how individuals can apply for that here today or tomorrow." Smokers, former smokers or their representatives living in Canada will be able to seek individual compensation through Tobacco Claims Canada, but the claims process hasn't begun yet. That's a separate process from the funding going to the P.E.I. government. Fund to help improve smoking cessation program Henderson also questioned Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane about whether any of the settlement funds will go toward groups that have been pushing for smoking reduction efforts. "The Cancer Society and the P.E.I. Tobacco-Free Spaces have been advocating for increased funding for enhanced smoke reduction programming. Yet I see in the Department of Health and Wellness budget under health promotion, grants have been reduced over last year's allotment," Henderson said. "Will these groups receive any funding from the tobacco settlement dollars to P.E.I.?" McLane responded that the province is using the extra funding for preventative measures, including improvements to the smoking cessation program available through Island pharmacies. Henderson also questioned the province on why the $36.4 million went into general revenue without a specific budget line to compensate families affected by smoking-related health issues. In response, McLane said: "It does go into general revenues, like every other province in Canada, to continue to improve smoking cessation programs, and we talked about the lung screening program, that those investments will go towards in the future." Elsewhere in the Maritimes, New Brunswick is set to receive about $614 million from the settlement, while Nova Scotia's share is roughly $809 million.
CBC
11-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Sask.'s share of national tobacco settlement to be $700 million
Saskatchewan is getting about $700 million as part of a settlement that will see three big tobacco companies pay out billions in compensation to provinces, territories and former smokers across the country. An Ontario court last week approved a $32.5-billion settlement between JTI-Macdonald Corp.; Rothmans, Benson & Hedges; and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. and their creditors. Those include plaintiffs in two Quebec class-action lawsuits as well as provincial and territorial governments looking to recoup smoking-related health-care costs. Officials say it's the largest deal of its kind in Canadian history and the third-largest in the world. Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill says the province is pleased with the Ontario court's decision and the money will go toward ongoing cancer care and prevention efforts. Officials say the settlement will help health-care systems offer improved treatment and care, give meaningful compensation from tobacco companies to victims of smoking, and provide accountability to cigarette manufacturers for past conduct and wrongful practices.
CBC
07-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
N.B. to get $614M in 'historic' tobacco settlement after decades-long battle
New Brunswick will receive an estimated $614 million from three tobacco giants for health-care costs related to smoking, Health Minister Dr. John Dornan announced Friday. It's part of a $32.5-billion settlement between Canadian provinces and territories and the tobacco companies — JTI-Macdonald Corp., Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd., and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges in a legal battle that dates back decades. Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz approved the agreement in a ruling released Thursday, calling it a "momentous achievement in Canadian restructuring history." New Brunswick is expected to get about $147 million "up front" and the remainder "over time," Dornan said in a statement, without providing any specifics. Smokers, former smokers or their representatives living in Canada will also be able to seek individual compensation through Tobacco Claims Canada. "I am pleased to announce a resolution of our effort to recover money for our health-care system from the tobacco companies that have sold cigarettes in Canada," Dornan said. The province was instrumental in launching the litigation nearly 20 years ago, he said. No information about how the province intends to use the money was provided. Department of Health officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'Nowhere near enough' Melanie Langille, president and CEO of NB Lung, is disappointed with the settlement. She contends the funding is "nowhere near enough to cover the true cost of tobacco-related disease and addiction in Canada." New Brunswick's tobacco-related costs are $165 million annually, she said in an interview. "Over decades, tobacco-related costs to Canada are in the hundreds of billions, which is why the initial claim was asking for a $500-billion settlement, to help offset the cost of tobacco-related harm, and introduce programs to address the health and addictions consequences of tobacco." Given New Brunswick's "higher-than-average smoking rates and the significant financial burden of tobacco-related health-care costs, the settlement funds, while beneficial, are insufficient to fully address the extensive damage caused by tobacco use in New Brunswick," Langille said. She urges the provincial government to direct its settlement dollars toward "high-impact programs that address both the health and addiction consequences of tobacco." She cited as examples expanding lung-cancer-screening programs, investing in early COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) diagnosis and treatment, strengthening of youth tobacco and nicotine prevention initiatives, and supporting smoking cessation programs. Decrease in smoking rates According to the Department of Health, adult smoking rates in New Brunswick have dropped to 13 per cent from 26 per cent in 2000. Youth smoking rates have also declined to 6.6 per cent from 14 per cent in 2018-19. The province's goal is to reach zero per cent. Details of settlement All provincial and territorial governments, as well as the plaintiffs in two Quebec class-action lawsuits, unanimously voted in December to accept the settlement plan proposed by a court-appointed mediator. Under the agreement, the companies will pay more than $24 billion to provinces and territories over about two decades, while plaintiffs in the two class-action lawsuits will get a combined total of more than $4 billion. Individuals can receive up to $100,000 for throat or lung cancer and up to $30,000 for emphysema if they were diagnosed before March 12, 2012, and were still alive as of Nov. 20, 1998. Another $2.5 billion will go to compensate Canadian smokers not included in the lawsuits. These individuals may receive up to $60,000 if they were diagnosed between March 8, 2015, and March 8, 2019. In addition, $1 billion will go toward creating a charitable foundation dedicated to funding programs aimed at combating tobacco-related diseases.
CBC
07-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Ontario court approves major $32.5B tobacco settlement
An Ontario court has approved a historic $32.5 billion settlement that will see three major tobacco companies compensate provinces, territories and ex-smokers in Canada. In a ruling released today, Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz called the approval a "momentous achievement in Canadian restructuring history." The settlement was first proposed in October after years of mediation between the companies — JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. — and their creditors, which include plaintiffs in two Quebec class-action lawsuits as well as provincial and territorial governments. It was unanimously approved by creditors in December and faced its final hurdle — approval from the court — over several days of hearings that began late last month. The plan calls for the companies to pay more than $24 billion to provinces and territories over about two decades, while plaintiffs in two class-action lawsuits in Quebec will get more than $4 billion to split between them. Another $2.5 billion will go to compensate Canadian smokers not included in the lawsuits, and more than $1 billion will go to a foundation to fight tobacco-related diseases. The money for the foundation also includes $131 million taken from the amount allocated to the Quebec plaintiffs.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CP NewsAlert: B.C. to get about $3.7 billion in tobacco lawsuit settlement
VICTORIA — British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma says B.C.'s share of a landmark settlement for health damages from the big tobacco firms will be about $3.7 billion. It's part of a $32.5-billion Canadian settlement between JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. and their creditors after more than five years of negotiations. Sharma says they have committed to put the money toward health care costs and the health system. More coming. The Canadian Press
