MONTREAL – Quebecor says that Bell Canada’s ExpressVu is on the hook for some $141 million to Videotron and TVA Group after the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear its appeal of a lower court decision that found it liable for failing to prevent the piracy of its satellite signals in Quebec.
Bell escalated its appeal to the Supreme Court after the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled in March to uphold a previous judgement issued in 2012. The actions stem from allegations made by Videotron and TVA Group parent Quebecor that Bell failed to prevent the piracy of its Bell ExpressVu satellite television service between 1999 and 2005.
Quebecor said Thursday that Bell now owes Videotron and TVA Group at least $141 million in damages, up from the $137 million in March, after accounting for interest and experts’ fees.
“We are pleased that the Supreme Court has confirmed a Québec Court of Appeal judgement which unequivocally found that, by its wrongful inaction, Bell encouraged piracy of its satellite signals, causing considerable harm to Bell’s competitors in general and to Videotron in particular,” said Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Dion, in a statement. “The unprecedented size of the damages award reflects the gravity of the harm. Hopefully, the outcome of this legal saga will prevent the recurrence of any similar situation and consumers will be able to enjoy the benefits of healthy competition, which promotes technological innovation and quality service, in accordance with the rules of law.”
Bell has not issued a statement on the matter.
