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Lake Manitoba Flooding Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Victims of the 2011 flooding of Lake Manitoba have made a $85.5 million settlement deal with the Manitoba government.
- Why: The money is to compensate those who lost property when the Manitoba government diverted floodwaters into Lake Manitoba in 2011.
- Where: The settlement deal occurred in Manitoba, Canada.
A Manitoba court has approved a CAD$85.5 million settlement to compensate those who lost property in 2011 when the government purposely flooded Lake Manitoba; however, the government needs to act to make sure the flooding doesn’t happen again, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says.
The Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench filed an order approving the settlement Jan. 20, CBC reports.
The settlement funds will be divided among those who owned real or personal property off nearby Lake St. Martin First Nation and within a 30-kilometer radius of the lake and whose property was damaged by the floods.
Those affected have until April 14 to file a claim. It is not yet known how many people are likely to file.
In 2021, a judge found the Manitoba government at fault for severe flooding along Lake Manitoba that destroyed homes and forced evacuations more than a decade ago.
Victims Still Impacted By Manitoba’s Decision To Divert Water
During storms in 2011, Manitoba made the decision to intentionally divert water from the Assiniboine River into the lake to protect Winnipeg.
In 2013, several property owners launched a class action lawsuit against the province, alleging it failed to properly compensate people affected by flooding.
Despite the settlement, victims of the flooding are still being impacted by the decision, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas told CBC.
“The province is still paying for its decision to divert flood waters through the Interlake, affecting not only the property owners along the shores of Lake Manitoba, but several First Nations as well, including the Lake Manitoba First Nation and the Lake St. Martin First Nation amongst others,” Dumas said.
Hundreds of homes and cottages around the lake were reportedly damaged or destroyed completely in the flooding.
The government “allowed their citizens to languish in hotel rooms in Winnipeg and elsewhere for a decade where, tragically, many died and never had a chance to return home,” Dumas said.
He added that the potential for more flooding in the Interlake remains as spring nears, and urged the government to expedite the construction of outlet channels to prevent and mitigate further flood damage.
What do you think of this settlement with the Manitoba government? Let us know in the comments!
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