'The city is responsible': Homeowners demand city foot the bill after construction project filled homes with grout
Some Seven Oaks-area residents are voicing frustrations with the City of Winnipeg’s slow response to property and street damages caused by sewer line repairs that happened almost two months ago.
In late May, work on a new land drainage sewer shaft at Semple Avenue and Scotia Street, completed by a City-hired contractor, caused a breach in the combined sewer shaft. This breach ended up pumping grout – a cement mixture – into several nearby homes.
“We’re waiting, waiting on our insurance when we feel the City’s insurance should be involved,” said Kaitlin Bialek, whose Semple Avenue home was filled with cement.
“The City should be saying, ‘yeah, we’re going to cover this, like, don’t worry about it.”
Bialek said the damage to her home is extensive, with repair estimates in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Cement is seen filling up Kaitlin Bialek's basement after a leak which impacted around a dozen houses on May 29, 2021. (Source: Kaitlin Bialek)
Cement is seen filling up Kaitlin Bialek's basement after a leak which impacted around a dozen houses on May 29, 2021. (Source: Kaitlin Bialek)
She said the city hasn’t been very responsive and she’s received no definitive answer, as of yet, as to whether or not the city will help in covering the repair costs.
“We can’t afford to have a hundred thousand dollars or fifty thousand dollars or whatever it ends up being,” she said, “We don’t have the money to just fix this problem that the city created.”
George Munroe’s home, right next to Bialek’s, was also impacted by the sewer shaft breach.
Munroe said his weeping tiles were filled with cement and the city left the street, marred by large spots of unearthed asphalt, in a state of disrepair.
“The city is responsible for these damages,” said Munroe. “Why should we, as homeowners, use our insurance company to pay for the damages?”
If the city doesn’t respond to requests to pay for repairs, Munroe said he’s considering taking legal action.
“If they’re not going to come to the plate and do the right thing, well, then we’ll see them in court,” said Munroe.
Semple Avenue and Scotia Street in Winnipeg have been left in a state of disrepair after work on a new land drainage sewer shaft in May 2021 filled homes with a cement mixture. (Source: Michael D'Alimonte/ CTV News Winnipeg)
Semple Avenue and Scotia Street in Winnipeg have been left in a state of disrepair after work on a new land drainage sewer shaft in May 2021 filled homes with a cement mixture. (Source: Michael D'Alimonte/ CTV News Winnipeg)
Area councillor Ross Eadie said the city purchased liability insurance for the original sewer repairs and all damages should be covered.
But it’s going to take some time.
“The travesty is, these are residents,” said Eadie. “The City of Winnipeg taxpayers are victims here.”
“But this whole risk management and insurance stuff, the way it works, it’s not a pretty process.”
Eadie added the repairs to homes and the street itself will take months to finish.
And time is certainly on Bialek’s mind.
“If the city doesn’t rectify this soon and we go through the winter with this, in the spring we’re going to have a pool in our basement,” said Bialek.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
BREAKING Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.