Publication Notice
Prince George Econo Lodge Fire – Class Action
A class action lawsuit about the July 8, 2020, fire at the Prince George Econo Lodge City Centre Inn has been allowed to proceed by the British Columbia Supreme Court. The plaintiff, Leonard Hay, has filed the class action to seek compensation for himself and other Class Members who suffered losses or injuries as a result of the fire.
You may be a Class Member if:
- You were a registered guest at the City Centre Inn on July 8, 2020;
- You were present at the City Centre Inn on July 8, 2020 at the time of the fire;
- You were present at Yolks All Day Family Restaurant on July 8, 2020 at the time of the fire; or
- You are a family member of one of the victims who was killed in the fire.
However, you are not a Class Member if you intentionally started the Fire, conspired to start the Fire, or were an employee of one of the defendants in the class action. The defendants are:
- Mundi 910 Victoria Enterprises Ltd.;
- Choice Hotels Canada Inc.;
- The City of Prince George; and
- All Points Fire Protection.
The class action will seek to claim compensation for Class Members who suffered losses as a result of the fire, including:
- Wrongful death;
- Personal injury, including physical and psychological injuries;
- Lost or damaged possessions;
- Room costs that were not refunded; and
- Expenses caused by the fire, such as transportation and hotel costs.
Participating in the Class Action
Your legal rights will be affected if you are a Class Member. You do not need to sign up for the class action for your legal rights to be affected. If you do nothing:
- you will be eligible to participate in the ongoing class action, and
- you will be bound by the outcome of the class action, including any judgment on the common issues for the class, whether favourable or not, and
- you may receive money from the class action, but
- you will not be able to start or continue your own case against the Defendants regarding the claims made in the class action.
If you believe you are a Class Member and would like to know more about your rights and the class action, please contact Class Counsel for more information.
You should save any documents you have that might relate to your losses, such as receipts for any expenses you incurred because of the fire, medical records, and booking information with the City Centre Inn.
Choosing not to Participate in the Class Action
If you do not wish to participate in the class action you must take action to exclude yourself before May 24, 2023. This will be your only opportunity to opt out of the class action.
If you opt out:
- you will not be eligible to participate in the ongoing class action, and
- you will not be bound by the outcome of the class action, including any judgment on the common issues for the class, whether favourable or not, and
- you will not receive any money from the class action, but
- you will be able to start or continue your own case against the Defendants regarding the claims made in the class action.
If you wish to opt out of the class action you must do so on or before May 24, 2023 by sending a letter or email, signed by you, stating that you are opting out of the Class Action to Class Counsel. The letter or email must also include: (i) your full name, (ii) your current address, (iii) your telephone number, and (iv) a statement that you wish to opt-out of the Class Action.
Contacting Class Counsel
To contact class counsel please send a letter to:
CFM Lawyers
400 – 856 Homer Street
Vancouver, B.C., V6B 2W5
ATTN: Amy Mileusnic
Or, send an email to:
The law firms of CFM Lawyers LLP and Dick Byl Law Corporation represent Class Members. If the Class Action is successful, Class Counsel will ask the court for approval of their fees, which will be a percentage of the money recovered from the defendants. To find out more, please visit www.cfmlawyers.ca or www.dbylaw.com or contact Class Counsel through the address and email above.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this notice are those of CFM Lawyers LLP and Dick Byl Law Corporation and do not reflect the views or positions of Vista Radio Ltd.
