Canada Kicks Ass
'Act of God' lets government cut off B.C. landslide victims

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Brenda @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:16 pm

$1:
NELSON, B.C. - A so-called act of God is allowing the province of B.C. to cut off compensation for residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the Johnsons Landing landslide.
An avalanche of mud and debris rolled over the tiny community in southeast B.C. last July, killing four people.
The province has provided about $300,000 in disaster financial assistance so far and will provide about the same amount again to an undisclosed number of residents.

But David Curtis, with Emergency Management B.C., says the government doesn't have to provide more compensation because the province wasn't at fault for the slide.
A report released yesterday says heavy rain and spring snowmelt triggered the slide that destroyed five homes and left another 18 properties at high risk of another potential landslide.
Curtis says there's no mechanism for the government to buy the homes around the landslide and the province would only provide exceptional assistance if the province was somehow at fault for the slide.




http://bc.ctvnews.ca/act-of-god-lets-go ... -1.1295657


SERIOUSLY??? "Act of God"??

   



2Cdo @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:18 pm

To be honest it does sound like an "act of God" but the proper thing would be to continue assisting folks get back on their feet.

   



andyt @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:21 pm

Yep. The province can't be responsible for everything. If the province wasn't negligent then why should it fully compensate the victims, anymore than they would for a fire that destroyed somebody's home? Hope they had insurance.

   



Brenda @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:22 pm

Last I have heard is that the Province had no problem giving out permits to build while it was known that this was a matter of "when", not "if" it would happen.

   



2Cdo @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:23 pm

So you would have no problem with government not lifting a finger to help with the Oklahoma tornado or Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans?

   



andyt @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:23 pm

That's different. If the province gave out permits when they knew landslides were likely, then the homeowners can sue and IMO win.

   



2Cdo @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:25 pm

andyt andyt:
That's different. If the province gave out permits when they knew landslides were likely, then the homeowners can sue and IMO win.

Using that line of thought then we should abandon all areas where something bad "might" happen.

   



andyt @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:27 pm

Using that line of thought the province can just say build, build, with no duty of care. Guess the concept of knew the event was likely is just too abstruse for you.

   



Brenda @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:29 pm

2Cdo 2Cdo:
So you would have no problem with government not lifting a finger to help with the Oklahoma tornado or Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans?

Exactly.

   



stratos @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:29 pm

5 homes destroyed, makes for about 120k per home. Top that off with what ever insurance they had and it sounds about right to me. 18 homes at risk of a futre slide but not currently damaged. I'm wondering how much you think these people should get if 120k per home is not enough what is?

   



Brenda @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:31 pm

stratos stratos:
5 homes destroyed, makes for about 120k per home.
That would not get you much here.
$1:
Top that off with what ever insurance they had and it sounds about right to me. 18 homes at risk of a futre slide but not currently damaged. I'm wondering how much you think these people should get if 120k per home is not enough what is?

If you think that cleaning up all the mud, trees and rebuild will be covered by $120k, you are wrong, unless you are thinking "trailer"

   



stratos @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:41 pm

I'm thinking of not rebuilding on the same site.

   



Brenda @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:44 pm

stratos stratos:
I'm thinking of not rebuilding on the same site.

People still need homes. Regardless of where. $120k gets you a fixer upper 2 bedroom mobile...

   



Zipperfish @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:45 pm

Presumably there were landslide and seismic assessments done for the area prior to issuance of permits. If they came in under what the province deems an acceptable risk for building permits (I think it's like 2% in 50 years or something) , then they should not be held liable. That's not to say they shouldn't be provided with emergency assistance; just that there sjhouldn't be any legal liability--the homeowners have to accept the risk

   



Hyack @ Fri May 24, 2013 1:47 pm

Question?.....What's going to happen the next time "God" decides to hold one of his unscheduled "house races" on Vancouver's North Shore?

Fatal North Vancouver mudslide 'preventable'

   



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