MONTREAL — Anti-smoking advocates are calling on provinces to use money from a historic tobacco settlement on public health programs.
In March, an Ontario judge approved a $32.5-billion plan requiring three major tobacco companies to pay out billions of dollars in compensation to provinces, territories and former smokers.
Provinces are expected to receive initial payouts on Friday.
Meanwhile, advocates are calling on the provinces to invest that cash into tobacco-reduction strategies.
Les Hagen, with the Association for Action on Smoking and Health, says the settlement includes no remedial actions — so tobacco will continue to be sold and marketed in Canada without further restrictions.
He says there are still an estimated four million tobacco smokers in the country and about 46,000 Canadians continue every year to die from tobacco-related deaths.
In a ruling this week, Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz signed off on $909 million in legal fees for class-action lawyers who have fought tobacco companies in the courts for the past three decades.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2025.
The Canadian Press
