Manitoba Housing sues contractor over townhouse rain damage

MANITOBA Housing is suing a contractor it claims allowed a thunderstorm to flood a publicly owned townhouse it was renovating, causing close to $100,000 in damage.

The government’s lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Court of King’s Bench, claims Canotech Consultants was negligent and breached its contract when it was renovating a side-by-side duplex on Martin Avenue in 2023.

The June lawsuit is the second filed by Manitoba Housing against Canotech Consultants this year. The earlier lawsuit, also over allegations of poor work at a different Martin Avenue public housing property, remains before the court.

The contractor and Manitoba Housing inked a contract in July 2022 to renovate a number of townhouses on Martin Avenue.

The new court filing claims the contractor failed to protect the roof it was removing and replacing it with tarps or other coverings when the storm rolled in on June 6, 2023.

Rainwater flowed through several rooms, damaging the building and its contents, say the court papers.

One of the units in the building had a tenant at the time, according to the lawsuit.

Manitoba Housing brought in a property restoration company immediately to assess the situation and take steps to mitigate the damage, the lawsuit says.

“A majority of the building was affected by the rainwater intrusion. (Manitoba Housing and Renewal Corporation) had to relocate tenants because the units were no longer habitable,” the claim says.

The property restoration company removed water and damaged materials, then dried and disinfected the property.

Manitoba Housing alleges Canotech breached its contract by failing to properly cover the roof of the building, or was negligent by failing to do so.

The court papers say cleanup costs totalled $91,870. The lawsuit is seeking that sum, plus interest and court costs.

Canotech has yet to respond to either lawsuit with statements of defence. The allegations haven’t been heard in court.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca