Courts ask community foundations to distribute proceeds

WATERLOO – The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF) is distributing $44,463 to local charities as part of the latest settlement in a longstanding class action lawsuit involving manufacturers of a rubber product known as EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer).

The settlement stems from a price fixing case that resulted in Canadian manufacturers paying more for EPDM, which is used in automotive weather-stripping, garden and appliance hose and electrical insulation, to name a few.

“This is one way for the courts to compensate consumers affected by class action lawsuits, since there is no way to track them done,” said Rosemary Smith, CEO at The KWCF. “We’re happy to help distribute these in a way that makes sense in our community.”

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation is providing grants to the following groups to meet transportation needs in our community:

$10,000 to the House of Friendship to help provide bus transportation to program recipients of the Life and Learn Program, the Emergency Food Hamper and Christmas Hamper Programs.

$10,000 to the Kitchener-Waterloo Working Centre for the Unemployed to help provide bus transportation to individuals in crisis and to support the “Recycle Cycles” program.

$10,000 to the YWCA of Kitchener-Waterloo to help provide transportation subsidy for clients residing at Lincoln Road and to clients at Mary’s Place.

$4,500 to R.O.O.F. (Reaching Our Outdoor Friends) to help provide bus tickets, taxi vouchers and Cherry Bus Line vouchers to homeless and at-risk youth.

$3,000 to Focus For Ethnic Women to help provide transportation assistance to women enrolled in job search projects.

$3,000 to the K-W YMCA Host Program to help provide bus transportation to newcomer youth enrolled in the Learning Circle Program and to senior adults practicing their English in Conversation Circles.

$2,120 to the K-W Multicultural Centre to cover mileage and parking costs of volunteer interpreters involved with immigration, hospital and health related assignments with newcomers.

$1,843 to the Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support to help provide bus tickets and bus maps as part of a Welcome Package program being launched for newly arrived refugee claimant families.

“Community foundations have now distributed more than $1.2 million to charities from coast to coast from various class action settlements,said Monica Patten, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundations of Canada. “We’re pleased to see dollars making their way back into communities and are happy to assist the courts in whatever way we can.”

The first case took place in 2002 when Siskinds, an Ontario-based legal firm and leader in class action law, recommended community foundations to disperse more than $300,000 to charities. The legal action involved manufacturers of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and nucleotides, two popular flavour enhancers.

A total of 41 grants have been made in 22 communities across Canada as a result of the various lawsuits.

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation

The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Kitchener-Waterloo and the surrounding area, now and for generations to come, by building community endowment, addressing needs through grantmaking, and providing leadership on key community issues.

Community Foundations of Canada

Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) is the national membership organization for the 164 community foundations found in cities, towns and rural areas across the country. With more than $2.9-billion in assets, the community foundation movement is one of Canada’s largest grant makers, providing more than $176-million in grants last year to thousands of charities.