Billions in initial payments from tobacco companies are about to flow into provincial and territorial coffers on Friday as part of a $32.5 billion settlement, with Ontario and Quebec both set to receive over a billion dollars, and the other provinces millions more.

And anti-smoking advocates are urging the provinces and territories to use money from the historic settlement on public health programs.

In March, an Ontario judge sanctioned a $32.5-billion plan requiring three major tobacco companies to pay out billions of dollars in compensation to provinces, territories and former smokers.

The settlement was first proposed in October 2024 after years of mediation between the companies — JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. — and their creditors.

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