{"settlement":{"id":"sweet-government-canada-online-account-data-breach-2026","slug":"canada-privacy-breach-gckey-2026","title":"Government of Canada Online Account Privacy Breach Class Action","category":"Privacy","status":"Claims open","tags":{"industry":["Privacy and data","Government services"],"geographic":["Canada-wide"],"recoveryType":["Cash payment","Refund or credit"],"documentation":["Self-attestation only","Receipts or proof of purchase required","Account records required"],"eligibilityTrigger":["Held an account or contract","Other"]},"classDefinition":"The class includes all persons whose personal or financial information in their Government of Canada Online Account (a Canada Revenue Agency account, a My Service Canada account, or another government account accessed using GCKey) was disclosed to a third party without authorization between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. People who contacted Murphy Battista LLP about the CRA privacy breach class action before June 24, 2021 (Excluded Persons) are still Class Members.","plainLanguageSummary":"If your personal or financial information in a Government of Canada online account was accessed without authorization during the 2020 data breach, you may be eligible for a cash payment for your time, and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses to a maximum of $5,000.","eligibilityCriteria":[],"recoveryRange":"$20 to $5,000","filingInstructions":"Confirm you are on the Claims Administrator's list of Eligible Claimants by visiting the settlement website or checking the notice you received.\nFile your claim online at the settlement website once the claims period opens on August 4, 2026, or complete the paper Claim Form.\nIndicate whether you are applying for yourself or on behalf of someone else, and if applying for someone else attach documentary evidence of your authority to represent them.\nComplete the applicable Access Claim and/or Fraud Claim sections, certifying the number of hours you spent dealing with the breach.\nIf you have an Access or Fraud Claim, you may also complete the Special Compensation Fund section and attach receipts, invoices, or bank statements for your out-of-pocket expenses.\nChoose your preferred payment method and complete the claimant information and attestation.\nSubmit your claim online, or mail the paper form and copies of any supporting documents to the Claims Administrator by February 3, 2027.","caseBackground":"This class action claims that the Government of Canada failed to properly protect personal and financial information held in online government accounts. The lawsuit alleges that weak safeguards allowed unauthorized third parties to access accounts, view confidential information, and in some cases apply for or divert CERB and other benefits. Accounts affected included Canada Revenue Agency accounts, My Service Canada accounts, and other accounts accessed with a GCKey.\n\nThe Government of Canada denies it did anything wrong. The parties reached a settlement, which the Federal Court certified and approved. The settlement provides payments for time and inconvenience, and reimbursement of certain out-of-pocket expenses, to eligible class members whose accounts were affected during the defined breach periods in 2020.","administratorName":"KPMG LLP","administratorContacts":[{"type":"phone","label":"Toll-free","value":"1-833-724-6160"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"breachsettlementcanada@kpmg.ca"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"KPMG, 600, de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Suite 1500, Tour KPMG, Montréal, Quebec H3A 0A3, Attention: Canada Privacy Breach Class Action Administrator"},{"type":"online","label":"","value":"https://www.breachsettlementcanada.kpmg.ca"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"514-840-2390"}],"agentName":"","agentContacts":[],"agentClaimFormHelp":false,"classCounselName":"Rice Parsons Leoni & Elliott LLP","classCounselContacts":[{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"980 Howe Street, Suite 820, Vancouver, BC V6Z 0C8"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"classactions@rplelaw.com"}],"classCounselFirms":[{"name":"Rice Parsons Leoni & Elliott LLP","region":"","contacts":[{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"980 Howe Street, Suite 820, Vancouver, BC V6Z 0C8"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"classactions@rplelaw.com"}]}],"submissionMethods":[{"type":"online","label":"","value":"https://www.breachsettlementcanada.kpmg.ca"},{"type":"email","label":"","value":"breachsettlementcanada@kpmg.ca"},{"type":"fax","label":"","value":"514-840-2390"},{"type":"mail","label":"","value":"KPMG, Canada Privacy Breach Class Action Administrator, 600, de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Suite 1500, Montréal, Quebec H3A 0A3"}],"sourceDocuments":[{"url":"/uploads/50a63fb9ba3bb2a9c59ca5d0-Notice-Settlement-Approval-EN-CZ5mnLQK.pdf","title":"Notice to Class Members"},{"url":"/uploads/ab466b01850409f4f87fc65b-Claim-Form-EN-CTHLdJkC.pdf","title":"Claim Form"},{"url":"/uploads/f5053e4b7f17e6beaf622cb6-Notice-Settlement-Approval-FR-CyTQdo2x.pdf","title":"Avis aux membres du groupe"},{"url":"/uploads/579254584b47a795f3196f82-Claim-Form-FR-BbYLYGC5.pdf","title":"Formulaire de réclamation"}],"shortFormNoticeUrl":"","longFormNoticeUrl":"/uploads/50a63fb9ba3bb2a9c59ca5d0-Notice-Settlement-Approval-EN-CZ5mnLQK.pdf","settlementAgreementUrl":"","claimFormDocumentUrl":"/uploads/ab466b01850409f4f87fc65b-Claim-Form-EN-CTHLdJkC.pdf","claimForms":[{"id":"7ec630cb73ce","url":"/uploads/ab466b01850409f4f87fc65b-Claim-Form-EN-CTHLdJkC.pdf","name":"Claim Form","language":"en","description":""},{"id":"3f58d4905d56","url":"/uploads/579254584b47a795f3196f82-Claim-Form-FR-BbYLYGC5.pdf","name":"Formulaire de réclamation","language":"fr","description":""}],"claimFormsButtonLabel":"claim-form","claimFormsUnavailable":false,"claimFormsUnavailableReason":"","claimFormGuides":[],"optOutFormUrl":"","optOutInstructions":"The deadline to opt out was February 20, 2026, and it has passed. Class members who did not opt out by that date are bound by the settlement.","objectionFormUrl":"","objectionInstructions":"","faqs":[{"answer":"Claims must be submitted no later than February 3, 2027. Claims submitted after this deadline may not be eligible for compensation.","question":"What is the deadline to make a claim?"},{"answer":"You can file online at the settlement website, or complete the paper Claim Form and mail it with any supporting documents to KPMG. Online claims are processed faster.","question":"How do I file a claim?"},{"answer":"Access claims pay $20 per hour to a maximum of 4 hours ($80). Fraud claims pay $20 per hour to a maximum of 10 hours ($200). You may also claim out-of-pocket expenses to a maximum of $5,000. Payment amounts may be reduced depending on the number of approved claims and the fees deducted.","question":"How much can I receive?"},{"answer":"For Access and Fraud claims you certify the hours you spent, with no documents required. For the Special Compensation Fund you must attach supporting documents such as receipts, invoices, or bank statements showing your out-of-pocket expenses.","question":"Do I need to provide proof?"},{"answer":"No. The deadline to opt out was February 20, 2026, and it has passed. If you did not opt out by that date, you are bound by the settlement.","question":"Can I still opt out of the settlement?"},{"answer":"Your name must appear on the Claims Administrator's list of Eligible Claimants. Since January 15, 2026, you can confirm whether you are eligible for payments by visiting the settlement website.","question":"How do I know if I qualify?"}],"eligibilityChecker":{"questions":[{"id":"had-gckey-account","text":"Did you have a Government of Canada online account, such as a CRA account, My Service Canada account, or another account accessed using GCKey?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"unauthorized-access","text":"Was your personal or financial information in that account disclosed to a third party without your authorization between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020?","type":"yes_no","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"breach-period","text":"Did the unauthorized access happen during the breach periods (June 26 to August 18, 2020, or October 8 to November 25, 2020 for Represent-a-Client accounts)?","type":"yes_no","helpText":"The settlement only pays claims for accounts affected during these periods.","qualifyingAnswer":"yes","criticalForEligibility":true},{"id":"on-eligible-list","text":"Does your name appear on the Claims Administrator's list of Eligible Claimants?","type":"yes_no","helpText":"You can check your eligibility on the settlement website.","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":[{"id":"access-claim","name":"Access Claim","description":"For class members whose personal information was accessed by unauthorized third parties but not used fraudulently. It compensates loss of time and inconvenience at $20 per hour, to a maximum of 4 hours.","recoveryType":["Cash payment"],"documentation":["Self-attestation only"],"recoveryRange":"$80 maximum","eligibilityChecker":null,"eligibilityCriteria":["Your Government of Canada online account was accessed by unauthorized third parties during the breach period (June 26 to August 18, 2020, or October 8 to November 25, 2020 for Represent-a-Client accounts)","Your name appears on the Claims Administrator's list of Eligible Claimants"]},{"id":"fraud-claim","name":"Fraud Claim","description":"For class members whose account was taken over and whose information was modified to enable fraudulent CERB, CESB, or EI applications, or to divert benefit payments. It compensates loss of time and inconvenience at $20 per hour, to a maximum of 10 hours.","recoveryType":["Cash payment"],"documentation":["Self-attestation only"],"recoveryRange":"$200 maximum","eligibilityChecker":null,"eligibilityCriteria":["Your account was taken over by unauthorized third parties during the breach period and your information was modified","Fraudulent benefit applications were made in your name or your benefit payments were diverted","Your name appears on the Claims Administrator's list of Eligible Claimants"]},{"id":"special-compensation","name":"Special Compensation Fund","description":"For class members with an Access or Fraud Claim who also incurred out-of-pocket expenses related to the breach, such as unreimbursed fraud losses, identity theft fees, or credit freeze penalties. Supporting documents must be attached.","recoveryType":["Cash payment","Refund or credit"],"documentation":["Receipts or proof of purchase required","Account records required"],"recoveryRange":"$5,000 maximum","eligibilityChecker":null,"eligibilityCriteria":["You have an Access Claim and/or a Fraud Claim","You incurred out-of-pocket expenses within 12 months of the breach that were not otherwise reimbursed","You can provide supporting documentation showing the expenses and that your information was used or modified in connection with a fraudulent act"]}],"proceedings":null,"relatedSlugs":[],"group":null,"cardSummary":"If your CRA, My Service Canada, or other GCKey government account was accessed without permission during the 2020 breach, you may be able to claim a payment.","proofRequired":"none","claimTime":"","claimAmount":"Varies by claim category","coverageStartDate":"2020-03-01","coverageEndDate":"2020-12-31","deadline":"2027-02-03","optOutDeadline":"2026-02-20","objectionDeadline":"","approvalHearingDate":"","approvalHearingDates":[],"approvalPending":false,"dateAdded":"2026-06-16","lastUpdated":"2026-09-06","firstPublishedAt":"2026-06-16","claimsOpenedAt":"2026-08-05 15:48:04","lastVerifiedAt":"2026-06-16","languages":["en","fr"]}}