Kruger, Deer Lake, province named in flooding class-action suit
People claiming their properties have been damaged by water seeping from the Deer Lake Power canal are now suing for compensation.
The canal has been feeding water to turbines that generate electricity for Corner Brook Pulp and Paper for decades, but hundreds of people who live near Deer Lake Power say it's also been seeping water into their backyards and basements.
Those affected by the seepage have enlisted the help of lawyer Bob Buckingham to launch a class action suit seeking millions of dollars in damages from Kruger — the company that owns Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, the town of Deer Lake, and the provincial government.
Deer Lake homeowner Richard Dewey has been dealing with the problem for years. In fact, the flooding got so bad he even had to move out and is now renting in nearby Reidville.
"It floods my property 365 days a year, I pretty much have a brook running through my basement," he said.
"I've tried to stop it, but it's an industrial fix that needs to happen here."
Dewey has tried a number of things to stop the water from entering his home, such as digging trenches to attempt to divert the flow — but to no avail.
He has even started to develop allergies he suspects are caused by mould and poor air quality, which eventually led him to move out of his home. After years of trying to get something done, he's decided to seek legal action against the three parties.
"Unfortunately it's come to this," he said. "We couldn't get anything done without Bob [Buckingham] and his team."
"This issue has devastated my life, financially, mentally, it's just been a nightmare."
Suing all three parties for damages
Meanwhile, Buckingham says decades of neglect on the part of the Town of Deer Lake, Kruger and the province have led to around 350 people being affected by the seepage.
"Rather than sue one, we had to sue them all," he said.
"We had to make sure we had all of the parties at the table in dealing with this."
He said each of the three parties shoulder the blame for the problem, which is why he filed a statement of claim on Monday to seek damages from them.
"Kruger, because they are the cause of the problem; the town, because they've known about it for years and haven't done anything to stop the problem; and finally the province, because they haven't gone out and enforced legislation."
Buckingham said the class action suit, which hasn't been certified yet, will seek tens-of-millions of dollars in damages.
He said he would like to negotiate an out-of-court settlement, but he says he will proceed with litigation if it's necessary.
"Hopefully we will be successful in this, the water will be diverted, the houses will be reclaimed and people won't have to clean out their houses every year," he said.
"People need to have their homes."
