Some Canadians could soon cash in on a $2.6 million Dollarama class-action settlement that has been approved by the Superior Court of Quebec.
Law firm LPC Avocats filed a class action lawsuit against the Quebec-based retail chain, alleging that Dollarama failed to correctly display the total price of products subject to environmental handling fees (EHF). These fees apply to items such as batteries, electronic products, lightbulbs, or toys with batteries.
A release from the law firm states, “The Plaintiff essentially alleged, among other things, that Dollarama did not properly advertise (display) the price of products subject to EHFs it offered for sale and that it charged a total price or EHFs higher than displayed for these products or allowed by law.”
Dollarama agreed to pay a settlement of $2,643,718.75.
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“In addition to paying the Settlement Amount, Dollarama has voluntarily implemented business practice changes, detailed in the Settlement Agreement, regarding how it displays the price of its products subject to Ecofees,” reads the statement.
A judge approved the settlement on December 3, according to a notice of the agreement from LPC Avocats.
Eligible customers could get between $3 to $10 sent via e-transfer. The law firm notes that the amount depends on the total number of approved claimants.
However, if payments are worth less than $3, the law firm says no Interac e-transfers will be made, and the distribution fund will be made to charities approved by the court.
Are you eligible for the Dollarama settlement?
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You could claim part of the settlement if you purchased a product eligible for an EHF at a Dollarama anywhere in Canada.
For Quebec shoppers, purchases must have been made between December 11, 2019, and July 4, 2023. For others elsewhere in Canada, purchases must have been made between April 29, 2021, and July 4, 2023.
How to qualify for compensation
To get their chunk of the settlement, class members are required to complete and submit a claim form by February 14, 2025. They must have a valid email address and a bank account that can receive Interact e-transfer payments.
Only one payment will be made for each approved claimant.
The claim form can be accessed here.
With files from Irish Mae Silvestre