Microsoft lawsuit ends in six-figure payday for local school district

The Fraser-Cascades School District has had a financial windfall thanks to a major tech lawsuit.

The district will receive over $100,000 from Microsoft as a result of the settlement of a class action lawsuit. Nearly half the money, $49,000, arrived last year. The $51,000 remaining has been listed in the district’s budget for next year.

The settlement seems likely to be related to one of the largest lawsuits in Canada, which began against the computer company in 2005. The suit, which claimed Microsoft illegally inflated prices for its software in violation of anti-competition rules, was settled four years ago for $517 million.

Awards from the lawsuit range from the fairly small (up to $13 per software purchase made) to much larger, with bigger organizations seeing larger payouts. Funds left over after the settlement process were earmarked for education grants.

Other districts in the Fraser Valley have received funds as well, but none have reported a settlement the size of that coming to SD 78. The Mission School District will receive a check for nearly $5,000. Other school districts in the Fraser Valley didn’t respond to the Current’s emailed request.