Thunder Bay hit with $300M lawsuit over flooding

The City of Thunder Bay has been served with notice of a class-action lawsuit for flood-related damage.

Watkins Law of Thunder Bay and the Merchant Law Group are seeking damages totalling $300 million.

The plaintiffs are six residents of the city — Janice Cerra, Rita and Stewart Barrie, Denis and Carol Dagenais and Muriel Dagenais.

The suit alleges the city was negligent in the design and operation of its sewer and drainage systems, and in the development of a disaster plan.

It further claims the city failed to take into account the impact of climate change and failed to issue timely warnings about an intense rainstorm.

"The recent heavy rains were a predictable event and should have been designed for," said Sandy Zaitzeff, lead counsel for Watkins Law, in a news release.

He added the people affected by the flooding are among the most vulnerable in the community, and many were stripped of their possessions and assets representing their life's work.  

None of the claims has been proven in court.

Zaitzeff said the two law firms handling the case would receive about one-third of any settlement. He said this is typical for class-action suits.