B.C. high court gives go-ahead to class-action suit filed to recoup damages from 2021 Abbotsford flooding
A B.C. court has allowed a class-action lawsuit against Abbotsford to proceed regarding damages from the 2021 floods, but narrowed its scope.Summary
A class-action lawsuit filed by Abbotsford property owners seeking to recover damages from the devastating 2021 floods has been given the go-ahead by the B.C. Court of Appeal, though the scope of the suit has been narrowed. The court determined the criteria for a class-action suit were met, but identified approximately 400 properties with covenants protecting the City of Abbotsford from flood-related lawsuits, sending those cases back to a lower court to resolve potential liability for legal fees.
The suit initially encompassed over 1,400 properties in the Sumas Prairie floodplain and alleges the city failed to adequately warn of the impending flood and failed to close floodgates in time. Claims against the Fraser Valley Regional District and the province have been dropped, with the suit now focused solely on the city’s actions.
Despite the court’s decision, flood risk remains a significant concern in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley, with limited progress made on mitigation efforts in the four years since the 2021 disaster. Funding for flood strategy upgrades has been hampered by provincial and federal budget constraints, and key projects, such as upgrades to the Barrowtown pumping station, are only now beginning to receive funding.
(Source：The Province)