GM Ignition Switch
Update – May 15, 2024
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Québec (the “Courts”) have certified/authorized for settlement purposes the national class action and Quebec class action seeking compensation for economic loss claims by current and former owners or lessees of certain GM vehicles that were recalled in 2014 (the “Settlement”). The recalls involved the Delta ignition system, key rotation, Camaro knee-key and electric power steering. A table of the eligible vehicles and recalls can be found on the FAQs page of the Settlement Website (gmignitionswitchsettlement.ca), which also contains all other relevant information, documents and forms.
Subject to the approval of the Courts, the Settlement will establish a settlement fund of $12 million CAD to pay claims to eligible Settlement Class Members who submit a claim online or by mail before the deadline which will be posted on the Settlement Website.
The settlement fund amount will be subject to deductions relating to administrative expenses and (for Ontario/National Class Members) the 10% levy of the Class Proceedings Fund which has supported the prosecution of this action.
The Settlement Approval Hearings have been scheduled for July 30, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (virtual only) and for July 31, 2024 at 9.30 a.m. (Eastern Time) before the Superior Court of Québec (virtual or in-person). These hearings are public.
The Teams/Zoom links for the Settlement Approval Hearings are below:
Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Oberski v. General Motors / CV-14-502023-00CP
Jul 30, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/63783372984?pwd=K1NBUVVzd01LRng2dWNsb21mUlBzQT09
Meeting ID: 637 8337 2984
Passcode: 660027
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+16475580588,,63783372984#,,,,*660027# Canada
+17789072071,,63783372984#,,,,*660027# Canada
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Find your local number: https://ca01web.zoom.us/u/gevpRGrptu
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Join by H.323
69.174.57.160 (Canada Toronto)
65.39.152.160 (Canada Vancouver)
Superior Court of Québec
1-581-319-2194 (paying number)
1-833-450-1741 (toll-free number)
Meeting ID: 559 596 749#
To join via Video Conferencing
Conference ID: 1158898292
Please find links below to some important documents:
Motion Record — Motion for Approval of Settlement and Plaintiffs’ Counsel Fees
Factum for Approval of Settlement and Plaintiffs’ Counsel Fees
GM Long-Form Notice of Certification and Settlement Approval Hearing – English
GM Short-Form Notice of Certification and Settlement Approval Hearing – English
GM Long-Form Notice of Certification and Settlement Approval Hearing – French
GM Short-Form Notice of Certification and Settlement Approval Hearing – French
On April 10, 2014, a national class action was commenced on behalf of all Canadian owners, operators, lessors and passengers of GM vehicles that were the subject of recalls for ignition switch and power steering defects.
The claim was brought by the family of Nick Baker, a Cornwall man who was just 22 years old when he lost control of his 2006 Saturn Ion, crossed the centre line and was involved in a head-on collision. The airbags did not deploy and Nick was killed in the crash.
On March 31, 2014, 18 months following his fatal accident, Nick’s parents, Suzanne and Danny Baker, received a recall notice from GM. Nick’s vehicle was subject to an ignition switch recall, linked to at least 13 deaths in North America.
The class action alleges that GM Canada and other defendants knew of the problem with the ignition switches since at least 2001, but failed to do anything about it until 2014. GM was subject to a U.S. Congressional probe for its handling of the recall.
Russel Molot of Delaney’s Law Firm in Ottawa, who represents the Baker family, said that GM’s failure to implement a recall sooner, especially when replacing the ignition switch would have cost just 57 cents per vehicle, is inexcusable. “Given the timing of what should have been a much earlier recall, GM appears to have put their own interests ahead of their customers’ safety,” he said.
Another recall, issued on March 31, 2014, relates to dangerous power-steering defects which are also at issue. The claim alleges that the ignition switch and power-steering defects led to personal injury, wrongful death, psychological injury, property damage and economic loss. Punitive damages are also claimed.
The defendants named in the lawsuit are General Motors of Canada Ltd., General Motors LLC, General Motors Holdings LLC, General Motors Corporation and General Motors Company, as well as Delphi Automotive PLC and DPH-DAS LLC (formerly Delphi Automotive Systems LLC), who manufactured the ignition switches.
Joel P. Rochon, partner at ROCHON | GENOVA LLP who issued the claim in Toronto, stated: “Canadians are understandably distraught that GM substantially delayed notifying the public of these dangerous defects”.
The allegations raised in the claim have not yet been proven in court. The plaintiffs and the proposed class members are represented by Delaney’s Law Firm, ROCHON | GENOVA LLP and Kim Orr Barristers PC.