A court notice linked on government and settlement-administrator sites says the Federal Court will hold a hearing on March 31, 2026, to consider approval of a proposed settlement in the Sweet v. HMK class action arising from the 2020 GCKey and Canada Revenue Agency data breach. The notice advises Banff-area residents whose federal online accounts were accessed without authorization between March 1 and December 31, 2020, that they have a final opportunity to opt out by February 20, 2026, if they wish to pursue individual claims.
The class action stems from credential-stuffing attacks (directed at Government of Canada online accounts between June 15 and August 30, 2020) that ultimately affected more than 11,000 federal accounts across departments. The attackers used acquired login credentials to access accounts; in some cases they submitted fraudulent CERB, CESB or EI applications or diverted payments to unauthorized bank accounts. Under the proposed settlement, eligible class members may apply for certain payments: small fixed amounts for time spent (Access and Fraud Claims) and reimbursement of unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses through a Special Compensation Fund of up to $5,000. The final amounts paid could be reduced depending on the number of approved claims. (I could not verify any provision for court-ordered credit-monitoring services in the publicly available notice or KPMG materials.)
Banff residents can review the full settlement terms and opt-out instructions on the KPMG settlement site (https://www.breachsettlementcanada.kpmg.ca/) or the Government of Canada’s official notice page. To opt out, submit a completed Opt-Out Form to KPMG by 11:59 p.m. PST on February 20, 2026, using the methods listed on the KPMG site. If the court approves the settlement on March 31, 2026, KPMG and Class Counsel will provide details and claim forms to eligible class members.
The Government of Canada notice and the KPMG claims-administration site contain official contact details and instructions; affected people should consult those sources for authoritative information. For settlement-administration questions, contact KPMG at 1-833-724-6160 or breachsettlementcanada@kpmg.ca, or Class Counsel at classactions@rhelaw.com. For legal advice about whether to opt out, residents may wish to consult legal aid or private counsel. The Banff RCMP and other local authorities have been listed in background materials as dissemination points for the court-mandated notice, but settlement-specific queries should be directed to the Claims Administrator or Class Counsel as noted above.
