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Submission: On January 18 via manual from CA — Scanned from CA
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Content Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help Menu When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Search Search Sign In QUICK LINKS * News * Sports * Radio * Music * Listen Live * TV * Watch * news * Top Stories * Local * Climate * World * Canada * Politics * Indigenous * Opinion * The National * Business * Health * Entertainment * Science * CBC News Investigates * Go Public * About CBC News * Being Black in Canada * More * Business * Health * Entertainment * Science * CBC News Investigates * Go Public * About CBC News * Being Black in Canada Auto-parts makers agree to pay $78M in Canadian price-fixing class action settlements | CBC News Loaded London AUTO-PARTS MAKERS AGREE TO PAY $78M IN CANADIAN PRICE-FIXING CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENTS Courts in Ontario, B.C. and Quebec have approved settlements of 23 class-action lawsuits worth $78 million in a series of cases alleging some auto-parts makers cheated car manufacturers, businesses and new-car buyers in a price-fixing scheme dating back nearly two decades. ANYONE WHO BOUGHT A NEW CAR BETWEEN 1998 AND 2016 HAS UNTIL OCT. 30 TO APPLY Colin Butler · CBC News · Posted: Jun 28, 2023 1:31 PM PDT | Last Updated: June 28, 2023 The settlements in 23 class actions allege auto-parts makers cheated car manufacturers and their customers in a price-fixing scheme on parts ranging from air conditioners to braking systems, ignition coils, door latches and throttle controls installed in new vehicles over an 18-year period. (Getty) SOCIAL SHARING * Facebook 0 * X 0 * Email 0 * Reddit 0 * LinkedIn 0 Courts in three provinces have approved settlements of 23 Canadian class-action lawsuits worth $78 million in a series of cases alleging some auto-parts makers cheated car manufacturers, businesses and new-car buyers in a price-fixing scheme dating back nearly two decades. The settlements, approved by courts in Ontario, B.C. and Quebec on Wednesday, are the latest in a series of class actions in Canada that allege a vast conspiracy to fix prices on a laundry list of 45 auto parts. They range from air conditioners to braking systems, ignition coils, door latches and throttle controls installed in new vehicles over an 18-year period. Businesses and consumers who bought or leased new vehicles sold between July 1, 1998, and Sept. 30, 2016, are eligible to receive $25 per claim in compensation for the following brands: * Aston Martin. * BMW/Mini Cooper. * Chrysler/Dodge/Fiat/Jeep/Ram. * Ford/Lincoln/Mercury. * General Motors (Buick/Cadillac/Chevrolet/Daewoo/GMC/Hummer/Isuzu/Oldsmobile/Pontiac/Saab/Saturn). * Honda/Acura. * Jaguar/Land Rover. * Mazda. * Nissan/Infiniti. * Subaru. * Toyota/Lexus. * Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche and Volvo. Lawyers in the class action stress no wrongdoing has been alleged by the automakers. Rather, it was the auto-parts companies that are alleged to have cheated everyone along the supply chain, starting with the manufacturers. A list of parts, their manufacturers and the individual settlements in the case can be found here. SOME COMPANIES COULD CLAIM UPWARDS OF $10K Linda Visser is a partner with London, Ont.-based Siskinds LLP, one of the law firms involved in the class action cases. Visser told CBC News on Wednesday the automakers were the first purchasers of the price-fixed parts and were ordered by the court to provide customer information in order to provide notice about the settlement. "They maintain a lot of this information for warranty purposes. So we were able to access that information to help with the claims administration process to make it easier for people to file claims, including the dealers and the end purchasers of new vehicles." Linda Visser, a partner with Siskinds law firm based in London, Ont., says the automakers were the first purchasers of the price-fixed parts. (Siskinds) Anyone who applies through the class action's website is eligible to receive up to $25 per claim, according to Visser. While consumers might expect to get less than $100, some businesses — including dealerships and car rental companies — can expect to collect up to $10,000 depending on the volume of cars they've purchased. Visser said the alleged conspiracy was likely discovered when one of the alleged conspirators went to the authorities in exchange for amnesty, similar to the way the Competition Bureau discovered Canada's infamous bread price-fixing conspiracy after it was reported by Weston and Loblaws, two of the alleged perpetrators. "It's the same basic concept," she said. "One of the involved companies, their legal department gets a hold of it. In exchange for giving up the story, they get immunity." According to the settlement website, anyone who bought a new car must rely on customer information provided by the automakers as proof of purchase. Anyone eligible will be notified by email or letter between June 28 and July 12 with a user ID and password to access their information. Car owners who did not receive a notification during that time are asked to check their "junk" or "spam" folders. Lawyers involved in the case say there will be one more settlement coming and that those eligible would be notified, but gave no date for when the court would issue a decision. CORRECTIONS * An earlier version of this article misstated applicants can potentially collect "$25 per vehicle," when it is in fact $25 per claim. Jun 29, 2023 12:18 PM ET ABOUT THE AUTHOR Colin Butler Reporter Colin Butler covers the environment, real estate, justice as well as urban and rural affairs for CBC News in London, Ont. He is a veteran journalist with 20 years' experience in print, radio and television in seven Canadian cities. You can email him at colin.butler@cbc.ca. * More by Colin Butler: CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|Report error FOOTER LINKS MY ACCOUNT * Profile * CBC Gem * Newsletters * About CBC Accounts CONNECT WITH CBC * Facebook * X * YouTube * Instagram * Mobile * RSS * Podcasts CONTACT CBC * Submit Feedback * Help Centre Audience Relations, CBC P.O. 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