Proposed Amendments To Class Proceedings Act In British Columbia

Proposed amendments to British Columbia's Class Proceedings Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c.50 (the Act) will permit national opt-out class actions and require the court to consider proceedings in other jurisdictions before agreeing to certify the class action in British Columbia.

Multi-jurisdictional class proceedings

The proposed amendments received their first reading in the Legislative Assembly on April 23, 2018. If passed, the amendments would expand the Act's definition of "class proceeding" to include a "multi-jurisdictional class proceeding," which would be defined as "a proceeding that is brought on behalf of a class of persons that includes persons who do not reside in British Columbia."