The wheels are in motion when it comes to the $350 million Pinhole Leaks Class Action Suit.
A group of citizens lead by Patsy Stadnyk served the city with a suit back in November 2020 over the problem, which they insist is the result of the city adding sodium hydroxide to the water supply.
Lawyer David O’Connor, in a statement to Acadia News, says evidence gathering for the case is ongoing.
“The process can take some time in class actions generally, particularly when experts are involved,” indicated O’Connor. “It is our expectation that the certification motion in this case will not take years to schedule and be heard. We are hoping to serve our certification motion material in the next month or two. We hope that we can schedule the hearing of the certification for late this year or very early next year.”
In a separate case, St. Joseph’s Care Group is seeking $350,000 for water damages to the PR Cook Apartments on Carrie Street.
The city denies that its acts or omissions caused or contributed to the presence of pinhole leaks in that plaintiff’s copper water pipes.
O’Connor added that efforts have been made at the provincial level to move class actions to certification faster.
“One of the changes to the Class Proceedings Act in Ontario (adding s. 29.1 to the Act) essentially indicates that the plaintiff should file her/his certification material (the affidavit evidence relied upon by the plaintiff) within one year of the issuance of the statement of claim or, alternatively within the same one year period, file with the court a schedule for the steps leading up to a certification hearing. We will certainly have our certification material filed well in advance of that one year period.”
None of the accusations have been proven in court and the city had no comment when emailed by Acadia News on July 5.
