A Single Mother Deprived of Nearly $8,000 in Canada Child Benefit Payments and a Worker Denied Employment Insurance: Class Action Targets the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada

MONTREAL, June 15, 2026 /CNW/ - An application for authorization to institute a class action has been filed before the Superior Court of Quebec against the Attorney General of Canada, acting on behalf of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), following allegations of unauthorized access to and modification of Canadian citizens' tax records. The case is being led by Me Nancy Fortin and Me Marie-Philip Simard of Klyden Legal.

At the heart of the case are the stories of two Quebec women who allege they suffered significant harm after fraudsters gained access to their personal information.

Ms. Corbin, a single mother, discovered in 2025 that a fraudulent income tax return had been filed in her name. According to the court proceedings, fraudsters allegedly used her personal information to claim nearly $30,000 in tax refunds. The return allegedly artificially increased her income by more than $130,000, resulting in a drastic reduction of her Canada Child Benefit payments. Ms. Corbin claims she lost nearly $8,000 in family benefits and was deprived of certain public services to which she would otherwise have been entitled because of the higher income reported through the fraudulent return. Despite numerous efforts with federal authorities, she alleges that she waited many months before receiving any assistance from the Government and that, to this day, her file remains unresolved.

Ms. Jacques' case tells an equally troubling story. While she was on medical leave from work and attempting to apply for Employment Insurance benefits, she allegedly learned that her identity had been used to file a fraudulent tax return two years earlier. Her account was then allegedly blocked, preventing her from quickly accessing the benefits she needed. According to the application, she was required to wait several months before receiving her first Employment Insurance payment.

"We expect a higher standard of protection from our governments when it comes to our personal information. The information contained in our tax files must not become an 'all-you-can-eat buffet,' which appears to have been the case for several years."

-- Me Marie-Philip Simard, Lawyer at Klyden Legal

The class action seeks to represent all persons residing in Canada whose personal information held by the CRA and/or EDSC was allegedly accessed and/or modified without their consent since January 1, 2021.

The legal proceedings rely in part on findings by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, which has already identified significant shortcomings in the mechanisms used to protect personal information held by these federal agencies. Nearly 60,000 taxpayers may be affected.

The plaintiffs are seeking $15,000 in compensatory damages and $5,000 in punitive damages.

Individuals who believe they may have been victims of unauthorized access to their tax records or identity theft involving the CRA or EDSC are invited to contact the lawyers responsible for the case.

A copy of the proceeding is available here.

Contact information :
Me Marie-Philip Simard
Klyden Legal
[email protected]
Téléphone : 514-346-6721

The allegations contained in the proceeding have not yet been proven in court. The class action must first be authorized by the Superior Court of Quebec.

SOURCE Klyden