The developer behind the Fulton Grove project in the Parker Lands is moving ahead with a $30 million dollar lawsuit against the City of Winnipeg and officials in the planning department.
Earlier this year city planners rejected a zoning application for the development saying it lacked details, denying a public hearing for the project. A judge has since ordered a public hearing take place in November.
Despite the ruling, Gem Equities is moving forward with legal action.
The lawsuit alleges city officials have caused delays to the development over the last five years and have provided misleading and false information in the process.
“Denial of "first reading" is an extraordinary step in any legislative or deliberative body, and its recommendation by civil servants is even more extraordinary,” states the lawsuit.
“There’s a multitude of components to the damages. Expropriation is one of them, but there are other significant costs that have been expended to date that will be a part of these damages,” said Andrew Marquess with Gem Equities Tuesday.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
The Fulton Grove plan along the BRT line includes hundreds of housing units on 47 acres.
Michael Jack, chief corporate services officer with the City of Winnipeg, shared this statement in response:
“The defendants will, in due course, address each of the many false accusations in the plaintiffs’ Statement of Claim. Each of the defendant employees has, at all times, conducted themselves with the utmost integrity, competence and character, and have discharged their duties very effectively. The defendants have gone to extraordinary lengths to attempt to collaborate and cooperate with the plaintiffs and their agents in order to advance their applications to the point of readiness to be heard in the appropriate forums.”
With files from CTV Winnipeg
