Two applications for class action lawsuits have been filed against the city of Dollard-des-Ormeaux and the borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro following the flash floods that impacted Montreal’s West Island two weeks ago.
The applications allege the municipalities failed to take proper action to address the risk of flooding, including installing sponge parks or catch basins.
“We’ve come to the conclusion that we believe the city did not act soon enough to put in measures that would have prevented this, and so we’ve called it negligence and in fact gross negligence in our class action lawsuit,” said lawyer Jeff Orenstein.
More than just financial compensation
Orenstein says the legal process could take years, as the class actions must first be authorized.
He said the goal extends beyond financial compensation.
“You can see coming off of Westpark (Street), off of Anselme Lavigne (Avenue), just the amount of side streets that are affected by the flood, the amount of debris and garbage and construction material on everyone’s lawn right now,” said Robert Wolofsky, a DDO resident involved in the class action request.
“This is something that we do not want to have reoccur over and over and over again.”
Both the borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro and the city of DDO declined to comment on the proposed class actions.
The mayor of DDO, Alex Bottausci, told CTV News that the city will host a public meeting on flood mitigation measures on Aug. 6.
Second time in less than two years
Crews are still picking up debris in the regions, and the basements of many homes are gutted. For some residents, it’s the second time in less than two years that their homes have been flooded.
“On the day of the flood, I was painting my one-room basement, and I have a video of me saying, ' Well, I hope it doesn’t flood again,’” said Lisa Freeman, a DDO resident.
“Forty minutes later, water starts coming in through my toilet and floor drain.”
Residents living on Lake Street in DDO are angry and say it’s been a stressful two weeks.
“We pay property taxes; we pay steep property taxes even when people are unemployed, people are still paying property taxes,” Freeman said.
