After a 16-month dispute, an arbitrator awarded Canwest Communications Corp. $50.7 million in relation to its $3.2 billion purchase of Hollinger’s Canadian newspapers in 2000.

Canwest originally said it was owed $84 million in “adjustments and claims” resulting from the purchase, while Hollinger said Canwest owed it $116 million.

A public arbitration process began in February 2007 and concluded last June. The decision is subject to appeal (and interest and legal costs have yet to be determined).

Canwest’s president and CEO Leonard Asper said in a news release:

“While the proceedings have been protracted over several years, we obviously feel justified that the time and effort it took to pursue the claim has been worth it. The results demonstrate the value of our resolve in dealing with this issue.”