Possible class-action lawsuit against Île Bizard-Ste Geneviève borough

A class-action lawsuit against the borough of Île Bizard-Ste Geneviève could be in the works.

Some residents say they feel abandoned by borough authorities and they claim that borough administration has let them down.

“I mean we were kind of on our own,” Joly Street resident Shelley Base said.

Flooding over the last few weeks has made life miserable and residents say that’s because the mayor didn’t do enough to protect people from the flood or provide adequate relief.

So, volunteer, Robert Idsinga, is collecting names and information for a possible class-action lawsuit against the borough.

“People were flooded, the street was flooded, there’s contaminated water everywhere, people are having health problems,” Idsinga tells Global News.

People have raised several issues in recent weeks that they claim is evidence that the borough isn’t looking after its residents.

Two days ago there were complaints about stagnant flood water that has pooled on Barabé Crescent.

Days earlier, those living on Île Mercier said they were frustrated because the island has been cut off for almost a month — the only way to access it is by boat, because the bridge is closed, and garbage has been piling up.

“They should try to find some method to open the bridge or make a secure way to pass over it,” resident Pier-Luc Cauchon told Global News at the time.

Now, water is still on some streets, like Joly, and though it wasn’t as bad as in 2017, Base said, it didn’t have to happen again.

Borough mayor Normand Marinacci says he did everything he could.

“We did the right things at the right place,” he claims. “We’re not perfect. Maybe a pump could break — these things happen.”

Those pushing for the lawsuit say they want someone to be held accountable for what they see as negligence.

“A lot of these people are poor,” Idsinga points out. “A small amount of money goes a long way for them. Right now, a lot of them are staying in flood zones because that’s all they can afford to do.”

The amount of the damages will be determined once names and information have been collected.