Canadians who made beef purchases post-2015 may qualify for a portion of nearly $8 million in a proposed settlement with companies accused of price-fixing. Multiple Canadian law firms announced that JBS USA Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland Inc., and JBS Canada ULC are set to pay $7.49 million, while National Beef will pay $495,000.
The settlement, which still requires court approval and does not imply guilt on the part of the companies, includes a settlement hearing for members in all provinces except Quebec on Sept. 10, with the Quebec hearing scheduled for Dec. 1. The class-action lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleged that beef-selling companies colluded in an unlawful scheme affecting the supply and pricing of beef in Canada.
The settlement initiative was spearheaded by various legal teams, including CFM Lawyers LLP in B.C., Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP in Ontario, and Belleau Lapointe LLP in Quebec. It does not cover beef products bought by the food service industry, such as restaurants.
Legal actions against specific defendants from Cargill and Tyson, both associated with the companies, are ongoing. Canadians eligible for the settlement who wish to opt out, possibly to file an individual lawsuit, must do so by Aug. 10.
Following the recent bread price-fixing settlement, where Canadians began receiving payments in May, Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., agreed in 2024 to a $500 million settlement for a class action involving bread purchases made between 2001 and 2021.