Victoria – Premier David Eby and Attorney General Niki Sharma have issued the following statements about the resolution of a long-standing legal battle with tobacco companies:
- The total settlement is valued at $32.5 billion.
- B.C. will receive approximately $3.7 billion over approximately 18 years to invest in cancer treatment and primary care, expand research into treatments and to promote smoking cessation.
Premier David Eby said:
“After a 28-year fight to hold multinational tobacco companies accountable for their deceptive actions, I’m pleased a resolution has finally been reached. The plan approved today is the largest resolution of its kind in Canadian history and the third-largest ever anywhere.
“While no amount of money will ever bring lost loved ones back or fully compensate for the harm done, this agreement ensures there are real consequences for corporate wrongdoing and will provide essential resources for public-health initiatives in B.C.
“Our government will never stop fighting for the people in British Columbia. We’ll continue to be relentless in pursuing legal avenues to get justice for those harmed by bad corporate actors who put profits over people’s health.”
Attorney General Niki Sharma said:
“Today’s resolution with tobacco companies after this long-standing litigation will provide direct compensation to people harmed by the effects of smoking, deliver critical funding for health-care systems across Canada and establish a foundation to support treatment research.
“This plan builds on the work being done here in British Columbia and across the country to reduce the number of Canadians who smoke. Through concerted actions, we’ve cut the smoking rate by more than half since we started this legal action – from 21% to less than 9% today.
“British Columbia has been a leader in standing up to powerful corporate interests, including taking on opioid manufacturers and delivering a first-of-its-kind settlement for their responsibility over the overdose crisis.
“As attorney general, I’m committed to continuing the work on cases like this and committed to ensuring that people and powerful interests alike are held accountable for their wrongdoings that harm the health and safety of others.”
Quick Facts:
- The total settlement is valued at $32.5 billion.
- B.C. will receive approximately $3.7 billion over approximately 18 years to invest in cancer treatment and primary care, expand research into treatments and to promote smoking cessation.
- In December 2024, all provincial and territorial governments, as well as class-action plaintiffs, voted to accept a plan proposed by a court-appointed mediator.
- In 1998, B.C. initiated legal action against the three principal Canadian tobacco manufacturers and their foreign parent corporations to recover the cost of treating tobacco-related diseases.
