Laurentian University has begun mailing severance cheques to former employees,but each payment covers just a quarter of the original entitlement. The payouts follow a 2021 court‑supervised CCAA restructuring and a recent $53 .5 million property sale to the Ontario government .

Quarter‑pay to Eduardo Galiano‑Riveros sparks anger

Eduardo Galiano‑Riveros, who chaired the physics department,received his cheque last week after a five‑year wait. The amount represents only 25% of what he was owed, a figure he described as “legal theft of 75 percent of owed funds.” According to the source, Galiano‑Riveros voiced both anger and sadness, demanding a formal apology and suggesting a public inquiry into the university’s collapse.

$53.5 million property sale creates creditor pool

The university’s limited payouts are tied to the sale of campus property to the province for $53.5 million, which formed the pool from which creditors are being paid. Ernst & Young, the court‑appointed monitor, set a 25% distribution rate for unsecured creditors, higher than earlier estimates. As the source notes, secured creditors and those owed vacation pay were already settled when Laurentian exited insolvency.

25% distribution rate declared by Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young announced that the 25% rate would apply to all affected former employees, a decision that has drawn criticism for its perceived inadequacy. The source reports that the cheques were mailed on June 3, 2026, with taxes already deducted, further reducing the net amount received by claimants.

One professor died before any payout, raising ethical concerns

Galiano‑Riveros highlighted that a former professor passed away before any severance could be delivered,underscoring the human cost of the prolonged process. While the university declined comment, the source indicates that this tragedy has intensified calls for a criminal probe into the handling of the insolvency.

Will a public inquiry be launched?

The lingering question is whether Ontario’s government will commission a formal inquiry into Laurentian’s 2021 collapse. The source mentions that former faculty member Ashley Thomson, a retired librarian, donated his cheque to his church and expressed hope for the university’s future, yet he also noted low morale among survivors,suggesting that institutional accountability remains unresolved.