MLA Niki Sharma speaks to media regarding allegations made by the BC Conservative party about possible election interference at her constituency office in Vancouver, British Columbia on Thursday, January 9, 2025.
Attorney General Niki Sharma says B.C. can now proceed as a representative plaintiff on behalf of other Canadian governments with litigation aimed at recovering the costs of treating opioid-related diseases allegedly caused by the industry's conduct.Attorney General Niki Sharma says B.C. will act as lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies.
She said in a statement the top court decision reaffirms B.C.'s commitment to holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis, which was declared a public health emergency in the province in April 2016. B.C. can sue opioid providers for health-care costs on behalf of other governments, Canada's top court rulesThat's after several opioid companies argued in B.C. Supreme Court that the province was overstepping its authority under the constitution.
Sharma says the class-action's certification marks a "significant milestone" in the proceedings that date back to 2018 when the province first launched the lawsuit.
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