Fortune struck a Quebec automotive workplace with lightning precision last Friday when 15 colleagues discovered they had won a staggering $20 million Lotto Max jackpot. The group of auto workers from the Montérégie region, who have played together religiously for over a decade, finally saw their persistence pay off in spectacular fashion.
“I checked our ticket Saturday morning and just stood there frozen,” recalled group leader Michel Lapointe, his hands still trembling slightly during the official prize ceremony. “When I called the first colleague, he thought I was playing an elaborate joke. By the fifth call, word was spreading faster than I could dial.”
The CO24 News team has confirmed that each member will receive approximately $1.33 million—a life-altering sum that has sent shockwaves through their tight-knit community in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. The group, ranging in age from 31 to 65, includes mechanics, administrative staff, and assembly line workers who have supported each other through economic downturns, personal hardships, and now, unexpected prosperity.
Loto-Québec spokesperson Renaud Duguay noted that group wins account for nearly 18% of major jackpots claimed in the province. “There’s something particularly special about collective victories,” Duguay told CO24 Canada. “They reinforce the bonds between colleagues while spreading the joy across multiple households.”
What distinguishes this particular win is the practical approach the group has maintained amid their newfound wealth. Unlike many lottery winners who immediately resign from their jobs, twelve of the fifteen winners plan to continue working, albeit with modified schedules. Several have expressed intentions to invest in their children’s education, pay off mortgages, and make modest upgrades to their existing homes.
“We’ve seen people win big and lose everything within years,” said Jeanne Tremblay, a 52-year-old administrative coordinator and one of the winners. “We’re determined not to become those cautionary tales. Most of us still plan to work, just with a lot less financial stress.”
Economic experts following the CO24 Business sector suggest this measured response may stem from Quebec’s distinctive relationship with sudden wealth. The province has implemented robust financial literacy programs for lottery winners, providing immediate access to financial advisors who help navigate the complex emotional and practical challenges accompanying unexpected fortunes.
The win comes at a particularly meaningful time for two group members who had been considering early retirement due to health concerns. For them, this windfall represents not just financial security but the freedom to prioritize medical care without workplace pressures.
“I’ve been putting off knee surgery for three years because I couldn’t afford the recovery time,” admitted Robert Gagnon, the group’s senior member at 65. “Now I can focus on my health without worrying about missing mortgage payments.”
This jackpot represents the fourth major lottery win in Quebec this year, continuing the province’s statistical overperformance in lottery luck compared to its population size. Loto-Québec officials note that Quebec residents have claimed approximately 24% of major Canadian lottery prizes while representing roughly 22% of the country’s population.
As financial planners descend on Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to offer their services, the winners remain grounded in their middle-class values. Their celebration dinner, held at a local family restaurant rather than an upscale establishment, speaks volumes about their intentions to maintain perspective.
“The money changes our bank accounts, not who we are,” Lapointe emphasized as his colleagues nodded in agreement. “We’ve watched each other’s kids grow up. We’ve attended each other’s family funerals. We’re going to navigate this new chapter with the same solidarity that got us here.”
As these fifteen Quebecers adapt to their new financial reality, one question lingers beyond the celebratory champagne and oversized checks: in a society increasingly divided by economic disparity, might these ordinary workers—who struck extraordinary luck while maintaining their core values—offer a blueprint for how sudden wealth can enhance rather than upend community bonds?
