Canadian Court Approves $32.5 Billion Settlement in Tobacco Lawsuits

The settlement resolves decades-long litigation involving health damages claims and allocates funds to provinces, territories, and smokers.

The settlement involves three major tobacco companies: JTI-Macdonald, Rothmans Benson & Hedges, and Imperial Tobacco Canada.
More than $24 billion will be paid to Canadian provinces and territories over two decades to cover health care costs.
Quebec plaintiffs in two class-action lawsuits will receive over $4 billion, while $2.5 billion is allocated for other affected smokers across Canada.
More than $1 billion from the settlement will fund a foundation dedicated to combating tobacco-related diseases.
The agreement, approved by an Ontario court, marks a significant milestone in Canadian legal and restructuring history.