Conclave Elects Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as First American Pope

Thousands of Quebec construction workers could soon get a $300 cheque — Here’s how

<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/montreal-construction-workers-work-on-a-job-site.jpg?id=59928051&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>In case you haven't noticed the never-ending sea of orange cones, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-construction" target="_blank">Montreal is no stranger to construction</a> — or to the drama that sometimes surrounds it. </p><p>Now, nearly 14 years after an illegal protest shut down job sites across Quebec, workers and contractors who lost wages that day can finally <a href="https://www.ftq-inter.ca/documents/fr/ftq-inter-avis-de-jugement.pdf" target="_blank">apply for compensation</a>.</p><p>After a final ruling in a long-running class-action lawsuit this week, <a href="https://courdappelduquebec.ca/en/" target="_blank">Quebec's Court of Appeal</a> has approved payouts for thousands of people affected by the province-wide construction shutdown that took place on October 25, 2011.</p><p>The class action was brought against <a href="https://www.ftq-inter.ca/fr" target="_blank">FTQ-Construction and CPQMC (Inter) </a>over disruptions tied to unauthorized union demonstrations. If you were on the job — or unable to work — that day, you might be eligible for a cheque.</p><h3>Who's eligible?</h3><br/><p>There are two groups that qualify:</p><ul><li>Workers whose job sites (with 50 or fewer employees) were shut down or disrupted on October 25, 2011.</li><li>Small business owners with 50 or fewer employees who lost income or paid wages that day without work being performed.</li></ul><h3>How much can you get?</h3><br/><ul><li>Workers can claim up to $500, but most will likely receive around $300 after fees.</li><li>Small businesses may be eligible for higher (uncapped) amounts depending on how much revenue or payroll was lost that day.</li></ul><h3>When is the deadline?</h3><br/><p>The deadline to claim is April 16, 2026.</p><p>Payments will be made by cheque or Interac e-transfer, though processing and legal fees (35% + tax) will be deducted from the total.</p><p>You'll need to fill out a claim form to get your money. Head to <a href="http://www.ftq-inter.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.ftq-inter.ca</a> to submit.</p><p>For help, contact the claims administrator:<br/>Phone: 1-877-770-8091<br/>Email: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ftq-inter@conciliainc.com</a></p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p> <p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p> <p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><span></span></p>