Canadians could be eligible to receive money from a new proposed class-action lawsuit.
If you purchased a certain type of maple syrup, you could be eligible for compensation in the class-action lawsuit filed on April 2 in the Superior Court of Quebec.
The lawsuit was brought forward by Vancouver law firm Slater Vecchio on behalf of plaintiff Quebec resident Maude Fraser-Jodoin against maple syrup producer Érablière Steve Bourdeau.
The lawsuit
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According to a court document shared with Daily Hive, in 2025, Fraser-Jodoin purchased four bottles of maple syrup. According to the bottles, the maple syrup was “pure,” which means that it had not been diluted or mixed with other substances. The packaging also states that it contains “Quebec” maple syrup, which Fraser-Jodoin believed came solely from maple trees in Quebec.
However, a Radio-Canada investigation revealed that Quebec maple syrup sold by Érablière Steve Bourdeau was not entirely pure. Testing of bottles purchased from several grocery stores showed that batches contained less than 50 percent maple syrup, with the rest made up of sugar cane or syrup sourced from outside Quebec — allegedly “with the owner’s knowledge or indifference or negligence.”
The lawsuit alleges that Érablière Steve Bourdeau engaged in fraudulent conduct by violating the Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits sellers, manufacturers, and advertisers from lying about the composition or origin of their products. The producer also allegedly violated Quebec’s Consumer Code and Civil Code.
The document states, “Indeed, by knowingly selling a ‘pure’ food product that it knew to be adulterated, and by labelling its maple syrup sticks with the phrase ‘Product of Quebec’ without regard for the accuracy of that statement or while knowing it to be false, the defendant demonstrated a lack of concern, indifference, or gross or deliberate negligence regarding consumer rights that goes far beyond mere negligence or fault.”
Who’s eligible?
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The lawsuit seeks punitive and compensatory damages, as well as additional compensation on behalf of all class members.
To be eligible, you must have purchased maple syrup that was sold, made, or prepared by producer Érablière Steve Bourdeau between April 7, 2023, and the date on which the class action is authorized.
The lawsuit seeks $100 per class member. The number of class members remains unknown and could be in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. For now, eligible Canadians don’t have to do anything as the lawsuit still has to be certified.
The document states that, as a result of the systemic and prolonged nature of the alleged fraud, the lawsuit “calls for an exemplary penalty.”
“Without an award of significant punitive damages, nothing will deter the defendant from continuing such practices to the detriment of consumers,” states the document.
Eligible Canadians could claim as much as $500 in another lawsuit.