Skiers who were involved in a pair of serious accidents at the Mont-Sainte-Anne ski resort could be entitled to $5.1 million in damages after the resort and lawyers for the victims have reached a proposed settlement.
The incidents happened weeks apart in the winter of 2020 at the resort northeast of Quebec City. In the first case, the gondolas suddenly stopped on Feb. 21, 2020, causing them to swing violently in the air while people were inside, resulting in more than 20 people being injured. Then, in March, the same thing happened a second time, causing at least one injury.
Skiers affected by the incidents later launched two class-action lawsuits against the ski resort’s operator, Alberta-based Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR), on behalf of people who were affected, whether they were injured or not.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement reached on Monday, plaintiffs who file a claim would be entitled to parts of the settlement depending on the level of damages they suffered.
The court still has to approve the proposed settlement before it can proceed. A hearing is scheduled for March 3 in Quebec City.
The popular resort has had a number of unfortunate incidents over the years.
In 2022, a gondola fell at the hill, forcing the resort’s closure.
Last December, the opening of the resort was delayed after the Régie du bâtiment du Québec ordered the closure of four ski lifts following inspections related to a power failure in the network that powers the buildings, ski lifts, and the snowmaking system.
With files from Noovo Info
