{"settlement":{"id":"beef-price-fixing-2026","slug":"beef-price-fixing-2026","title":"Canadian Beef Price-Fixing Class Actions","category":"Price Fixing","status":"Claims not yet open","tags":{"industry":["Consumer goods"],"geographic":["Canada-wide"],"recoveryType":["Cash payment"],"eligibilityTrigger":["Purchased a product"]},"classDefinition":"All persons in Canada (other than Quebec class members) who purchased Beef for resale or personal use between January 1, 2015 and the date the BC action is certified for settlement approval, excluding Beef Products and Beef purchased from the food service industry, plus all persons who purchased Beef in Quebec during the same period. Beef is the raw portion of cattle carcasses intended for human consumption.","plainLanguageSummary":"If you bought beef in Canada for resale or personal use after January 1, 2015, you may be eligible to share in these proposed settlements once the courts approve them.","eligibilityCriteria":[],"recoveryRange":"Settlement funds of CAD $7,498,700 (JBS) and CAD $495,000 (National Beef) for the class; individual amounts not yet determined","filingInstructions":"","caseBackground":"Class actions started in British Columbia and Quebec in 2022 allege that companies selling beef in Canada took part in an unlawful conspiracy to fix the supply and/or price of beef sold in the country. The cases seek to have the beef sellers return any extra money they collected because of the alleged conspiracy, and they cover residents in all provinces and territories.\n\nTwo beef producers, JBS and National Beef, have reached proposed settlements. JBS agreed to pay CAD $7,498,700 and National Beef agreed to pay CAD $495,000 for the benefit of class members, and both agreed to cooperate with the plaintiffs in the ongoing cases against the remaining Cargill and Tyson defendants. The settlements are not an admission of wrongdoing and must still be approved by the courts. The money will be held in trust and will not be distributed yet; a later notice will explain how to claim.","administratorName":"Verita Global, LLC","administratorContacts":[{"type":"phone","label":"Phone (Quebec)","value":"1-888-987-6701"},{"type":"phone","label":"Phone (rest of Canada)","value":"1-800-689-2322"},{"type":"online","label":"Website","value":"http://www.beefclassaction.ca"}],"administratorRole":"claims","agentName":null,"agentContacts":[],"agentClaimFormHelp":false,"classCounselName":"CFM Lawyers LLP, Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP, Belleau Lapointe LLP","classCounselContacts":[{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-800-689-2322"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"1-604-689-7554"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"info@cfmlawyers.ca"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"Suite 400, 856 Homer Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 2W5, Attention: Sahar Majidi"},{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-800-229-5323"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"1-866-316-5308"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"beef.classaction@swslitigation.com"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"1561 Ouellette Avenue Windsor, Ontario N8X 1K5, Attention: Heather Rumble Peterson"},{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-888-987-6701"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"1-514-987-6886"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"info@belleaulapointe.com"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"300, Place d’Youville, Suite B-10, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2B6, Attention: Jean-Philippe Lincourt"}],"classCounselFirms":[{"name":"CFM Lawyers LLP","region":"All provinces and territories across Canada, excluding Québec","contacts":[{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-800-689-2322"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"1-604-689-7554"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"info@cfmlawyers.ca"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"Suite 400, 856 Homer Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 2W5, Attention: Sahar Majidi"}]},{"name":"Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP","region":"All provinces and territories across Canada, excluding Québec","contacts":[{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-800-229-5323"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"1-866-316-5308"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"beef.classaction@swslitigation.com"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"1561 Ouellette Avenue Windsor, Ontario N8X 1K5, Attention: Heather Rumble Peterson"}]},{"name":"Belleau Lapointe LLP","region":"Québec","contacts":[{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-888-987-6701"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"1-514-987-6886"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"info@belleaulapointe.com"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"300, Place d’Youville, Suite B-10, Montréal, Québec H2Y 2B6, Attention: Jean-Philippe Lincourt"}]}],"submissionMethods":[],"sourceDocuments":[{"url":"/uploads/28bbac92af699aa354a3eb92-final_long_form_notice-EN.pdf","title":"Notice to Class Members"},{"url":"/uploads/6f41426953b6c9520d9b94d1-press_release_final-EN.pdf","title":"Additional Settlement Document"},{"url":"/uploads/632d3c5eae66efee75f28410-avis_format_long-fr.pdf","title":"Avis aux membres du groupe"},{"url":"/uploads/8dc80b0d277320f2eacd4f29-press_release_fr_.pdf","title":"Document supplémentaire"}],"shortFormNoticeUrl":"","longFormNoticeUrl":"/uploads/28bbac92af699aa354a3eb92-final_long_form_notice-EN.pdf","settlementAgreementUrl":null,"claimFormDocumentUrl":"","claimForms":[],"claimFormsButtonLabel":"claim-form","claimFormsUnavailable":false,"claimFormsUnavailableReason":null,"claimFormGuides":[],"additionalDocuments":[],"optOutFormUrl":"","optOutInstructions":"This is your only chance to exclude yourself or opt out of the class actions.\n \nYou can opt out by sending a signed written election to Class Counsel, by prepaid mail, courier, fax, or email at the addresses listed below. All opt-outs must contain the following information: \n- your full name, current address, email address and telephone number;\n- if you are writing on behalf of a company, the name of the company and your position at the company; and\n- a statement saying that you (or the company) want to opt out of the Class Actions.","objectionFormUrl":null,"objectionInstructions":null,"faqs":[{"answer":"The settlements with JBS and National Beef are proposed and must still be approved by the courts. Approval hearings are scheduled for September 10, 2026 in British Columbia and December 1, 2026 in Quebec.","question":"What stage is this settlement at?"},{"answer":"No. If you do not oppose the proposed settlements and do not want to opt out, you do not need to do anything at this time. A later notice will explain how to claim money once the courts decide how the funds will be distributed.","question":"Do I need to do anything right now?"},{"answer":"Individual amounts have not been determined. JBS agreed to pay CAD $7,498,700 and National Beef agreed to pay CAD $495,000, which will be held in trust for the class after court-approved legal fees, disbursements, and taxes. The money will not be distributed yet.","question":"How much will I receive?"},{"answer":"Yes. If you do not want to be part of the class actions, you must send a signed written election to Class Counsel by mail, courier, fax, or email so it is received no later than August 10, 2026.","question":"Can I opt out of the class actions?"},{"answer":"Yes. If you want to tell the court what you think about the proposed settlements or the lawyers' fees, you must send written submissions to Class Counsel, who will file them with the court. You may also attend an approval hearing in person by contacting Class Counsel.","question":"Can I object to the proposed settlements?"}],"eligibilityChecker":{"questions":[{"id":"purchased-beef","text":"Did you purchase beef in Canada for resale or personal use?","type":"yes_no","helpText":"Beef means the raw portion of cattle carcasses intended for human consumption.","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"after-jan-2015","text":"Did you make those purchases after January 1, 2015?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"not-food-service","text":"Was the beef purchased from somewhere other than the food service industry?","type":"yes_no","helpText":"Beef bought from the food service industry is excluded.","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"not-beef-products","text":"Was your purchase raw beef rather than a processed product containing beef as one ingredient among others?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"not-opted-out","text":"Will you refrain from opting out of the class actions by the August 10, 2026 deadline?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true}],"uncertainMessage":"Some of your answers were Not sure, so we could not confidently determine your eligibility.","qualifyingMessage":"Based on your answers, you appear to fall within the class definition for this settlement.","nonQualifyingMessage":"Based on your answers, you do not appear to fall within the class definition for this settlement."},"claimCategories":[],"proceedings":null,"relatedSlugs":[],"group":null,"cardSummary":"If you bought beef in Canada after January 1, 2015, you may be affected by these price-fixing settlements. The claims process has not opened yet while the settlements await court approval.","proofRequired":"","claimTime":"","claimAmount":"Amount not yet determined","coverageStartDate":"2015-01-01","coverageEndDate":"","deadline":"","optOutDeadline":"2026-08-10","objectionDeadline":null,"approvalHearingDate":"2026-09-10","approvalHearingDates":[{"date":"2026-09-10","label":"British Columbia"},{"date":"2026-12-01","label":"Quebec"}],"approvalPending":false,"resolution":"settlement","judgmentAppealed":false,"seriousHarmEnabled":false,"quietPresentation":false,"formHelperEnabled":false,"dateAdded":"2026-07-11","lastUpdated":"2026-08-04","firstPublishedAt":"2026-07-11","claimsOpenedAt":null,"lastVerifiedAt":"2026-07-11","languages":["en","fr"]}}