A couple has settled a lawsuit with the province in a peculiar way, after claiming negligent logging practices led to flooding on their Smithers-area property.
In 2009, BC Timber Sales auctioned off a cut block near the property, which resulted in a third of the trees in the surrounding watershed being cut down.
Filed by Ray Chipeniuk and Sonia Sawchuk in 2014, the suit claimed that BCTS failed to ensure their property would not be damaged by the logging.
They argued that the extent of the cut was unreasonable, and that it led to increases in area waterflows, leading to flooding on the property.
While it had not flooded at all in the 30 years prior, the property has flooded twice since the cut, once in 2012, and once in 2018.
According to the couple, the flooding led to a landslide on the property, and an E. Coli contamination in their well.
But, just as they were waiting for the trial to start last month, the Crown asked for a pause and handed the judge a hand-written note accepting the $300,000 settlement.
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