Case name
Ouellet v. Bell Canada

Quebec Superior Court file #
450-06-000001-176 (Sherbrooke)

SETTLEMENT
A settlement has been approved by the Court in a class action regarding collect calls processed by Bell Canada (“Bell”). Bell denies any wrongdoing or liability in this matter.

WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE FOR?
Without admission of any kind, Bell will pay $1,000,000 to fully and finally settle this action for the purpose of avoiding further costs and put a final end to this litigation and to all related claims.

This amount will be distributed on a pro rata basis among the class members, after deduction of Class Counsel fees ($300,000.00 plus taxes) and other disbursements, costs and expenses to administer the settlement estimated at $110,000.00 plus taxes.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE SETTLEMENT?

You are a member of the class eligible for compensation under the settlement if you are:

1. A natural person in Quebec who has received and paid the charges associated with one or more long distance collect calls processed by Bell Canada between September 25, 2014 and September 30, 2022 inclusively, other than calls made from provincial correctional facilities located in the Province of Ontario using the Offender Telephone Management System (OTMS).


2. All legal persons, partnerships and associations or other groups not endowed with juridical personality in Quebec who has received and paid the charges associated with one or more long distance collect calls processed by Bell Canada between September 25, 2014 and September 30, 2022 inclusively, other than calls made from provincial correctional facilities located in the Province of Ontario using the Offender Telephone Management System (OTMS), and who did not invoice the charges to a third party (such as, but not limited to, a client, an organization or legal aid).

COMPENSATION
You will be eligible for a refund of the charges for long distance collect calls processed by Bell that appear on one of your invoices in the period between September 25, 2014 and September 30, 2022 inclusively. The refund will be calculated on a pro rata basis among the class members eligible for compensation who submit a claim form and provide the required documentation before the deadline indicated below.

The amount to which you are entitled will be transferred to you by Velvet Payments (the Claims Administrator) via Interac e-transfer by email or sent by cheque to the address indicated on the claim form. You should expect to receive the amount within sixty (60) days of August 12, 2023.

If you do not deposit the cheque within six (6) months of its issuance or accept the Interac e-transfer within 30 days of its issuance, you will be deemed to have waived your right to that amount and will not be entitled to any further amount or compensation.

CLAIM FORM AND DOCUMENTATION TO SUBMIT
You must duly complete and submit the claim form before August 12, 2023.

You may also contact Velvet Payments at the contact information below to obtain a copy.

You can submit your claim form and the required documentation to any of the following coordinates:

For assistance, you may contact the claims administrator or class counsel: