Claims are now open in the Government of Canada class action over 2020 online-account attacks, with an $8.76 million settlement fund. The Federal Court approved the settlement on May 5, 2026 in Sweet v. His Majesty the King, a case about credential-stuffing attacks on federal accounts accessed through GCKey, the government's login service.
According to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the claims portal opened Aug. 4, 2026 after the appeal period closed without challenge the settlement approval statement. Eligible people must file by Feb. 3, 2027.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Canada — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the original report from Canada — Use this primary source to review the complete report.
Table of Contents
- Who is covered?
- How much can you claim?
- How do you file before the deadline?
- What limits should you expect?
Who is covered?
The case covers alleged privacy breaches tied to GCKey-accessed federal accounts. That includes CRA My Account and Represent-a-Client, My Service Canada Account, and other federal accounts, according to the Government of Canada the federal settlement notice. The attacks occurred in summer 2020, described as June 15 to Aug. 30, 2020.
The class includes people whose information was affected between March 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. If your federal account was affected during that window, you may qualify. If only accounts outside that period were involved, this settlement does not apply.
How much can you claim?
Payments use three tiers. Class members can seek up to $80 for account-access problems and time spent, up to $200 for fraud and time spent, and up to $5,000 from a Special Compensation Fund for documented out-of-pocket losses, according to TaxPage and Counter Tax Lawyers the settlement breakdown. The lower two tiers pay at $20 per claimed hour.
For example, four claimed hours could support the full $80 tier, while ten claimed hours could support the full $200 tier. The highest tier is for verified financial losses only. It requires documentation and receipts, such as bank reversal fees, replacement-ID costs, or other expenses tied to the breach.
How do you file before the deadline?
Claims administrator KPMG accepts claims online at breachsettlementcanada.kpmg.ca or by mail to KPMG in Montreal. Online filing is faster and lets you attach supporting documents directly.
Use this checklist before you submit: Submit no later than Feb. 3, 2027. Late claims may be ineligible.
- Confirm the affected GCKey-linked account and 2020 time frame
- Count hours spent regaining access, monitoring accounts, or resolving fraud
- Gather receipts for any out-of-pocket loss claimed under the $5,000 tier
- Keep copies of everything sent to KPMG
What limits should you expect?
The $80 and $200 figures are maximums, not guarantees. According to MoneySense, payments may be reduced pro rata if total approved claims exceed available funds the payment-limit explanation. The government denies wrongdoing.
It says the court-approved settlement is a fair compromise, not an admission of liability. The opt-out deadline of Feb. 20, 2026 has passed. Remaining class members are bound by the settlement terms and limited to the claims process.
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