People who bought Driscoll’s strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries in Quebec since January 1, 2022 may be covered by a proposed class action alleging Driscoll’s did not tell consumers its berries carried pesticide or chemical residues above Canadian legal limits. A Quebec judge must first authorize the case, no class exists yet, and there is nothing to claim.
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This article describes an application to authorize a class action, as reported by Canadian news outlets. The statements below are unproven allegations. Driscoll’s disputes them and has not been found liable, no court has authorized the case, and there is nothing to claim. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is the Driscoll’s Quebec Class Action?
Lawyers for a Quebec consumer have asked the Quebec Superior Court to authorize a class action against Driscoll’s, the California berry company. CBC, Radio-Canada and CTV News reported the filing on October 1 and 2, 2026. According to those reports, the application alleges that Driscoll’s failed to inform people who bought its berries in Quebec that the fruit carried pesticide residues or other chemical substances above the maximum limits permitted in Canada, and that the failure was “compounded by misleading representations concerning these products.”The filing follows CBC News reporting on allegations by a former Driscoll’s compliance manager that the company sent millions of pounds of berries to Canada with non-compliant residue levels between 2022 and 2024. Driscoll’s disputes the allegations. None of them has been tested in court, and the court has not yet decided whether the case can proceed as a class action.
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Who the Proposed Class Covers
As reported, the proposed class is anyone who bought Driscoll’s brand berries in Quebec since January 1, 2022, which covers strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. The person bringing the application is a Quebec woman who, according to CTV News, says she ate dozens of containers of Driscoll’s berries over that period, including while pregnant in 2025.The class is limited to purchases in Quebec. It does not cover buyers in other provinces or in the United States. No estimate of the group’s size has been reported.
What the Application Alleges
According to the CBC, Radio-Canada and CTV reports, the application makes these claims:- Residues above Canadian limits. It alleges Driscoll’s berries sold in Quebec carried pesticide residues or other chemical substances above the maximum residue limits Canada sets for food.
- No disclosure. It alleges Driscoll’s did not tell buyers about those residues, and made misleading representations about the berries.
- The regulator’s findings. CBC and Radio-Canada report that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed that inspections from 2022 to 2024 found residues above the legal limit on some Driscoll’s fruit, naming the insecticide bifenthrin and the fungicides iprodione and captan. The CFIA required corrective action rather than issuing recalls, according to those reports, and CTV reports the agency also received complaints from consumers, including about a chemical taste or odour.
What Driscoll’s Says
Driscoll’s denies the allegations. In a statement reported by Radio-Canada, the company said: “We are confident in the safety of our berries and stand behind the robust compliance systems that we have in place today.” CTV reports the company said it disputes the allegations and welcomes the opportunity to address them through the legal process. According to the CBC, Driscoll’s says it maintains robust food safety programs and has amended its controls to align with Canadian standards.The Whistleblower Behind the Reporting
The Quebec filing builds on allegations from David Harada, who was Driscoll’s food safety and regulatory compliance manager for the United States and Canada. In a retaliation and wrongful termination suit filed in Ventura County Superior Court in California in late June 2026, he alleges he was pushed out after raising concerns that some growers were exceeding pesticide limits and that fruit shipped to Canada broke Canadian residue rules. According to reporting on his complaint, he alleges the company told him to prioritize profits and create “plausible deniability” rather than fix the problems.Driscoll’s has called Harada’s case “fundamentally an employment matter” and said it rejects the allegations and will vigorously defend itself. His suit is separate from the Quebec application, and its allegations are also unproven.
In the United States, Driscoll’s also faces a separate proposed consumer class action in California federal court over alleged PFAS pesticide residues on its conventional strawberries and its sustainability marketing, which OCA covers on its Driscoll’s strawberries PFAS lawsuit page. That case is not part of the Quebec filing.
What Happens Next
Quebec class actions start with an authorization stage. The court does not decide who is right at this point. It decides whether the case meets Quebec’s criteria to go forward as a class action, including whether the facts alleged appear to justify the claims and whether the proposed representative can properly represent the group. News reports say that decision could take at least a year.If the case is authorized, the court would approve a notice telling Quebec buyers about it, and the case would then move toward a trial or a settlement. If it is not authorized, it ends as a class action. Either way, there is no claim process now. OCA will update this page when the court rules on authorization or a court file number becomes public.
Questions
Is there a Driscoll’s class action in Quebec?
Yes, at the earliest stage. In early October 2026, lawyers for a Quebec consumer asked the Quebec Superior Court to authorize a class action against Driscoll’s. In Quebec a class action cannot go ahead until a judge authorizes it, and news reports say that decision could take at least a year. Nothing has been decided and there is nothing to claim.
Who would be covered by the Driscoll’s Quebec class action?
As reported, the proposed class is anyone who bought Driscoll’s brand berries in Quebec since January 1, 2022, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. The group is only proposed: a judge has to authorize the case, and could change the definition, before anyone is formally a class member.
What does the Driscoll’s Quebec lawsuit allege?
According to news reports on the filing, it alleges Driscoll’s did not tell consumers who bought its berries that they carried pesticide residues or other chemical substances above the maximum limits allowed in Canada, and that this was made worse by misleading representations about the products. It seeks a reduction of what buyers paid and punitive damages, in amounts not yet set. Driscoll’s disputes the allegations.
Were Driscoll’s berries recalled in Canada?
No recall has been reported. According to CBC and Radio-Canada reporting, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed that inspections from 2022 to 2024 found residues above Canada’s legal limits on some Driscoll’s fruit, including bifenthrin, iprodione and captan, and that it required corrective action rather than recalls. Driscoll’s says it is confident in the safety of its berries.
Can I file a claim against Driscoll’s?
No. There is no settlement, no compensation fund and no claim form. If the Quebec court authorizes the case and it later ends in a settlement or judgment, a court-approved notice would explain who can claim and how. Any site offering a Driscoll’s claim today is not part of the court process.
Sources
• Radio-Canada / CBC News — Fruit giant Driscoll’s faces class-action lawsuit in Quebec (October 1, 2026)• CTV News Montreal — Quebec class action alleges Driscoll’s berries exceeded Canadian chemical limits (October 2, 2026)
• KEYT News Channel 3-12 — Former employee alleges Driscoll’s violated pesticide safety laws (July 8, 2026)
The application itself and its court file number were not publicly available when this page was written; its contents are described as reported by the outlets above. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site; it is not a law firm and is not affiliated with any party. It is not legal advice.
