Settlement ends long-running class action over Halifax runway crash
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has approved a $18.075 million settlement resolving a class action launched on behalf of passengers aboard Air Canada Flight AC624, which crashed while landing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport on March 29, 2015.
The court-sanctioned agreement allocates responsibility for payments among the principal defendants: Air Canada will contribute $15.075 million, Nav Canada will pay $2 million and the Halifax International Airport Authority will provide $1 million.
The class action, which had been prepared to proceed to trial earlier this year before parties reached the settlement, named a number of defendants including the airline, the manufacturer Airbus, Nav Canada, the airport authority, the Attorney General of Canada and the pilots. The lawsuit alleged the defendants bore responsibility for the crash and the injuries passengers suffered as a result.
- 131 class members will share in the settlement (out of 133 passengers on board; two opted out).
- Compensation levels were set according to the nature, severity and duration of each passenger’s physical and psychological injuries.
- Legal fees and related costs totalled about $5.7 million, and the settlement also covers administration fees, taxes, interest and an allocation for claims by public health insurers.
The majority of class members — 70 passengers — will receive fixed payments of $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000, depending on their assessed injuries. The remaining class members will receive larger awards, ranging from more than $30,000 to, in a small number of cases, sums reaching into the hundreds of thousands.
"The negotiated settlement does not include an admission or finding of liability against Air Canada, Nav Canada or the airport authority."
The remark was made by Ray Wagner, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The settlement document itself specifies the distribution of funds will also cover costs tied to administering the plan and to honouraria, as well as settling claims from public insurers.
Timing and next steps for payments
Officials involved in the settlement expect payments to be distributed within about six weeks of the court’s approval. The process will be overseen by the legal teams and the appointed administrator to ensure class members receive their awards and that outstanding fees and claims are settled.
| Contributor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Air Canada | $15.075 million |
| Nav Canada | $2 million |
| Halifax International Airport Authority | $1 million |
The case was pursued by law firms Wagners, MacGillivray Law and Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman on behalf of the passengers. While the settlement brings a financial resolution to the class action, it stops short of allocating legal fault; the statement from counsel emphasised there is no admission or judicial finding of liability against the named corporate defendants.
Local context and consequences
For Halifax, the settlement closes a high-profile legal chapter that began with a crash at the city’s primary international gateway. The airport authority’s participation in the payment reflects its involvement as a named defendant in litigation arising from the incident.
Beyond immediate payments to injured passengers, the agreement also addresses costs borne by public health insurers, reflecting claims for medical costs arising after the crash. The resolution may prompt reviews of internal policies at aviation stakeholders and could shape how future aviation-related claims are handled in the province.
For the passengers who took part in the class action, the settlement means a defined timetable for compensation and a legal end to the collective claim. Two passengers chose to opt out of the class action and therefore are outside the distribution under this agreement.
As the funds are prepared for disbursement, attention in Halifax will turn to implementation — ensuring the payments and related administrative obligations are completed as ordered by the court.
This report is based on court approvals and statements from counsel as reported by the Chronicle Herald and other press accounts concerning the settlement.
