Homeowners suing the city over contaminated land anxious to work with Luc Ferrandez

Residents who launched a lawsuit against the City of Montreal over contaminated land have renewed hope for a resolution in their case.

Nine homeowners on Sherbrooke Street East are suing the city for $7 million, claiming reports showed their homes were built on a toxic waste site and officials failed to inform them.

“I think my family is at risk,” said homeowner Pascal Cormier. “That methane that they found in the backyard in the soil can migrate into the house so it’s kind of an urgent issue for us.”

Cormier and the other eight residents locked in a lawsuit with the city have high hopes with the city’s new administration.

“We were very happy,” homeowner Pascal Cormier said about Luc Ferrandez’s new appointment as the executive committee member in charge of parks and the environment. “I personally spoke with Mr. Ferrandez a week before the election and he was well aware of the situation and eager to find a solution.”

In an interview on Monday afternoon, Ferrandez told Global News he is still committed to finding a solution.

“We cannot tolerate to have such a big impact on residents without doing anything,” executive committee member Luc Ferrandez said. “But I cannot step forward and say what would be the solution and how we can involve finances in finding a solution there’s no way I can say this the first day in power.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We cannot tolerate to have such a big impact on residents without doing anything," executive committee member Luc Ferrandez said. "But I cannot step forward and say what would be the solution and how we can involve finances in finding a solution there's no way I can say this the first day in power."

Residents are hoping the provincial government’s environment minister will soon step in.

“Maybe that ministry in Quebec should take the lead because right now santé publique (public health), the City of Montreal, nobody is taking care of the issue,” said Cormier.

The father of three was told by public health officials to regularly open windows and call 911 if his natural gas detector goes off. His
biggest cause for concern now is that his children sleep in the basement. Decontaminating the land is out of the question since it would cost more than the value of his home. While he would love to leave, he’s trapped financially.

“The issue is we bought that house not knowing there was some contamination and with that information, our house is now worth nothing,” Cormier told Global News.