Time is running out for hundreds of former tenants displaced by a downtown highrise fire to submit claims through a multimillion-dollar class action lawsuit. The deadline to apply for a share of the $7.3-million settlement is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30.
Eligibility and Distribution
With 154 residential units, an estimated more than 300 people are eligible for some of the $3 million set aside for former tenants who were forced to flee the Westcourt Place fire more than six years ago. The blaze, which started in the garage area in November 2019, also displaced tenants from 22 commercial units, including the Provincial Offences Court. Commercial tenants are eligible to apply for some of the $500,000 earmarked for them by the court.
Lawyer Harvey Strosberg, whose firm represents plaintiffs, expressed concern that many eligible individuals have not yet applied. “I want all of the people who were displaced to get their fair share,” he said. Former residents, including children whose parents can apply on their behalf, are entitled to thousands of dollars each, Strosberg said.
Claim Amounts
According to the class action’s distribution plan, each displaced residential tenant is entitled to $6,000. Those forced to evacuate get an additional $1,000, while those who weren’t home at the time get half that extra amount. On top of that, each residential tenant is entitled to $200 per month from Jan. 1, 2020, to March 30, 2024, to a maximum of 40 months ($8,000), provided that they did not surrender or terminate their lease. If they did surrender or terminate, the $200 per month ends the month that the lease ended.
How to Apply
Making a claim is “not a difficult process at all” and can be done online, Strosberg said. Eligible claimants must provide their name, address, and documentation, including photo identification, an itemized list of belongings in the fire and their approximate value, and any records supporting claims of injury and insurance proceeds. “It’s a very user-friendly process,” he added. Class members can submit a claim at westcourtfiresettlement.com.
The fire destroyed six vehicles in the lower-level parking garage, and smoke spread throughout the building. The building has remained vacant since the incident.
