A British Columbia man has been ordered to pay $2,320 for damaging a gas line while digging on his property, but a tribunal ruled he is not liable for the repair crew's meal expenses. The Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) decision, released this week, found that FortisBC failed to prove that the homeowner's actions directly necessitated the meal costs.
Incident Details and Tribunal Findings
The incident occurred in 2025 when the homeowner, identified in court documents as John Smith, struck a natural gas line while excavating for a landscaping project. FortisBC dispatched a repair crew to fix the damage and later billed Smith for the total cost, which included $320 for meals provided to the crew during the repair.
Smith contested the meal charges, arguing that they were not directly related to the damage he caused. The CRT agreed, stating that FortisBC did not provide sufficient evidence that the meal costs were a direct result of Smith's actions. “The respondent is not liable for the meal expenses as they are not a direct consequence of the gas line damage,” the tribunal ruled.
Financial Liability and Impact
Smith was ordered to pay $2,320 for the gas line repair itself, which includes labor and materials. The decision highlights the limits of homeowner liability in such cases, according to legal experts. “This ruling clarifies that while homeowners are responsible for damages they cause, ancillary costs like meals must be justified,” said Vancouver lawyer Sarah Thompson.
FortisBC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Smith expressed relief at the partial victory but noted the financial strain. “I’m glad I don’t have to pay for their meals, but $2,320 is still a lot of money,” he told reporters.
