Do you have a class action lawsuit you want to pursue and need a lawyer? YLaw has teamed up with the Toronto-based law firm of KND Complex Litigation to serve clients across Canada for all their class action inquiries. At YLaw, our experienced class action lawyers specialize in several class action subject areas. We investigate improper corporate and institutional conduct in Canada, and as counsel apply to the Court to protect the rights of our class members. 

If you are in Canada and believe that your rights have been infringed upon by major corporations or institutions, please contact us for a no-fee consultation. We will respond to your inquiry about your legal matters or a potential class action lawsuit within 24 hours.

What is a Class Action?

A class action is a legal proceeding often brought in the city, province, or supreme court on behalf of a group of individuals or class members who have similar claims. A class action allows potential separate lawsuits for relatively small claims to be consolidated such that they can be efficiently and economically pursued together in 1 large lawsuit. Class action law provides access to justice to individuals who otherwise do not have the means to pursue their legal rights. This reduces the burden on our courts’ systems and helps promote corporate and institutional accountability.  

Types of Class Action Lawsuits We Do

Some of the types of class action lawsuits, court documents, and class proceedings that YLaw’s experienced lawyers can investigate, represent plaintiffs, and take on include the following:

Privacy Class Actions

Canada’s laws protect Canadians’ private and personal information against improper collection, use, access, or theft. Selling your private information to advertisers and not having enough security to protect your data from breaches or other breaches of personal and confidential information is against the law in Canada.

Our lawyers would act to hold those who breach your privacy accountable by making a claim against them in court and obtaining the court’s decision, and/or exploring all possible options to either litigate or reach a class action settlement in a quick and efficient manner. 

If a company engages in such practices to either benefit financially or save on its costs, our class action lawsuit and civil action lawyers will get involved to represent our class members. A civil law judge at trial would compel these entities to compensate for the damage they cause consumers. Some of the lawsuits and current Class proceedings are listed below: 

BetterHelp Consumer Privacy Class Action

BetterHelp, Inc. is a provider of online counseling solutions with over 3 million customers worldwide. On March 2, 2023, the United States Federal Trade Commission issued a Complaint and proposed Order against BetterHelp, alleging that BetterHelp had improperly shared or sold consumer data to third-party advertisers, including Facebook, in order to enhance its profit. 

This subject action has been brought on behalf of Canadian consumers of BetterHelp in Court, alleging that the company deceived its class members and violated their privacy. The action seeks to recover compensation on behalf of the members against better help who is the Defendant.

View the KND Complex Litigation website for more information about the BetterHelp Consumer Privacy Class Action lawsuit. 

Here is the new article covering this case:
BetterHelp faces potential B.C. class action lawsuit

TransLink Data Breach Class Action

In December 2020, TransLink (also known as South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority) reported a major data security incident wherein the extremely sensitive personal and financial information of approximately 41,000 individuals was compromised. The affected individuals include TransLink’s current and former employees and its retirees, as well as users of TaxiSaver services. 

The court documents filed in court allege that TransLink did not have proper security measures to prevent the data breach and that it failed to properly participate and seeks to recover compensation on behalf of affected individuals as a result. You can find more information on the TransLink data breach matter on the KND Complex Litigation website.

Here is the new article covering this case:
TransLink ransomware attack leads to class-action lawsuit from ex-employee

Institutional Abuse Class Action Lawsuits

Institutional abuse class actions typically involve allegations of systemic mistreatment or harm inflicted by members of an organization who become the Defendants. This kind of claim, settlement, class action lawsuit, proceeding, motion, or other procedure may arise in different situations. In particular, circumstances where vulnerable individuals are placed in the care or custody of a member of an institution, including the following common issues:

1. Prisons or jails: when inmates are subjected to abuse or neglect, such as excessive use of force, medical neglect, or failure to provide basic necessities like food and water.
2. Schools: when students are subjected to abuse or harassment by teachers, staff, or other students or when the institution fails to protect them from harm.
3. Nursing homes or assisted living facilities: when residents are subjected to physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
4. Hospitals or medical facilities: when patients are subjected to medical malpractice, mistreatment, or neglect.

In these situations, our class action lawyers bring an Action on behalf of the Plaintiffs through a Representative Plaintiff against the organization by filing court documents and following that process. These actions can also be settled through extensive negotiations and other alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms.

Consumer Protection Class Action Lawsuits

Canadian law protects consumers against corporate misconduct. Many big corporations or companies may find it easy to take advantage of their consumers. This is done by misleading them, selling them faulty products or engaging in false advertising claims. Without checks and balances in competition law, consumers can be seriously harmed by unethical business practices. In the event a corporation engages in such improper practices, consumers may have limited legal recourse to recover compensation.

In these cases, our lawyers would ask the Courts to make decisions with respect to corporate misconduct on behalf of the consumers. Generally, judges would make binding decisions for the Members. Alternatively, our lawyers would use mediation, arbitration, or other ways of resolving these cases to bring them to a speedy and efficient resolution. 

Product Liability Class Action Lawsuits

Manufacturers must ensure that their products are safe for their intended use. There are a few instances where these kinds of class actions may occur. If in case a manufacturer fails to disclose the risks associated with injuries or using a product, or in case it designs or delivers a product negligently, in a result causing harm, consumers may have legal recourse for compensation.

In these cases, class members would bring court proceedings against the manufacturers as defendants, and have a judge make a decision relating to the misconduct. Alternatively, our lawyers would engage in various settlement discussions to resolve these cases.

Competitive Class Action Lawsuits

The economy thrives, and consumers benefit from healthy competition. Big companies may conspire together to fix prices and avoid the opposition in order to make the consumer pay a higher price. This is in breach of competition laws. These practices are called ‘price fixing’ and are illegal in Canada. The reason is that they limit consumers’ choices and make them pay more than what they would otherwise have to pay. If a larger group of corporations engage in this kind of misconduct, a class of consumers or ‘members’ may be entitled to sue under a class proceeding in order to bring a claim for compensation.

Investors’ Rights and Securities Class Action Lawsuits

Parties seeking investment from Canadians must comply with securities laws in other provinces. This requires that the investors be informed about the risks and prospects of the investments. In some cases, the entity seeking investment must also register with Canadian securities regulators. 

Sometimes, however, Canadians are defrauded from their hard-earned savings in investments. They could be duped into investments that are either bogus or their risks and prospects have not been properly disclosed. In such situations, an experienced lawyer from YLaw will investigate the case. YLaw will aim to hold fraudsters accountable and recover investors’ damages.

YLaw’s lawyers would sue the fraudster or Defendant in different jurisdictions, and follow a process where judges would make a decision with respect to any wrongdoing by them. The judges would then examine the case and provide the appropriate relief for the investors or plaintiffs. We would also engage in settlement talks and/or negotiations to obtain the best results. 

What is the National Class Action Database and How Does this Apply to Lawsuits?

The Canadian Bar Association’s National Class Action Database is a collection of pleadings and other documents for class action lawsuits filed across Canada. This comprehensive class action database contains recent and current information for class proceedings, including materials concerning class certification motions and forms pursuant to various class proceedings legislation. The database reflects recent changes in the Canadian class action law and practice landscape, and is a valuable tool to both consumers and lawyers, providing public easy access to class action information.

Contact YLaw for Representation or to Start a Class Action Lawsuit with Us Today

To file a motion for a class action, and obtain a favourable decision and efficient results, contact our experienced class action counsel at YLaw to assist you.

Our lawyers assist all clients across the country and we look forward to working with you.

Please call us at 604-974-9529 or get in touch.