On November 16, 2023, Maritime Fuels filed for bankruptcy. PwC Canada was appointed as trustee to facilitate the bankruptcy process. Many Atlantic Canadians who relied on Maritime Fuels to heat their homes or businesses paid Maritime Fuels in advance for their services. On November 17, Service Nova Scotia sent out a News Release warning customers of Maritime Fuels to stop any pre-scheduled payments.
On November 20, 2023, PwC released Maritime Fuel’s company records, which show that up to 2.5 million dollars may be owed to customers who made prepayments. These customers are classified as “unsecured creditors” and have less priority than “secured creditors,” such as the Bank of Nova Scotia.
On November 21, 2023, PwC issued a Notice to Customers, advising them that while they are aware that many Atlantic Canadians prepaid for services that were never received, they will not issue them a refund. Instead, customers were encouraged to file a Proof of Claim form with PwC to receive a share “in distribution(s) to unsecured Creditors, if any.”
Many Atlantic Canadians worry that they will never get back the money paid to Maritime Fuels for services. This is a legitimate concern given the priority placed on other creditors including large banks and lenders.
Wagners is currently investigating this matter on behalf of Atlantic Canadians who have lost their prepayments. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the loss of individuals’ precious financial resources (many of whom have little to spare) will likely be concluded early in 2024.
Wagners is a plaintiff friendly personal injury law firm that has been involved in local and national class actions for over two decades.