Quebec judge dismisses $2.5M Dollarama class action settlement

A Quebec judge has dismissed a $2.5 million class action settlement on behalf of Dollarama customers who purchased products subject to an eco fee.

The proposed settlement was reached on Feb. 21 and was subject to court approval. The judge dismissed the settlement on April 17, according to a website dedicated to the class action.

That means members of the class won’t receive gift cards or any other compensation that they would’ve been entitled to under the settlement, the website said.

Class counsel Joey Zukran confirmed in an email to CBC News that the case would proceed as if no settlement had been reached.

Zukran’s firm, LPC Avocats, wrote to class members that “at this stage, the parties can either proceed to litigate the matter, or renegotiate a new settlement,” in which case a new class action notice would be sent out.

Decision documents show that the judge concluded there wasn’t enough proof that the settlement would be beneficial to class members or that the class action had been structured correctly.

No proof of purchase was required to claim a gift card. Items subject to an eco fee include batteries, electronics, light bulbs or toys with batteries.

Anyone who purchased a product subject to an environmental handling fee from Dollarama in Quebec between Dec. 11, 2019, and July 4, 2023, or elsewhere in Canada between May 29, 2021, to July 4, 2023, would have been eligible claim a gift card with a maximum value of $15.00.

Dollarama agreed to the original settlement but denied any wrongdoing and liability.

CBC News has reached out to Dollarama for comment.