One Greater Victoria woman is calling for better precautions around demolitions after residents suffered adverse side effects thanks to dust and debris following the demolition of a nearby building.

Maria Hendrikx and her husband Jeremy began experiencing what they thought was a B次元官网网址渟ummer coldB次元官网网址� shortly after the demolition of a building in their neighbourhood, located in the West Bay section of Esquimalt.

Not knowing the symptoms of exposure to large amounts of wood dust, they went about their days normally. As the dust began to settle, their symptoms got worse, and they werenB次元官网网址檛 the only ones. Other neighbours began expressing they too were experiencing irritated eyes, runny noses and respiratory problems.

B次元官网网址淭he scary thing was we didnB次元官网网址檛 know the symptoms, but then we all got sick at the same time,B次元官网网址� Maria said.

They said while they knew the demolition would be taking place, they were not provided an exact day or time and many in the neighbourhood had their windows open to let in the June breeze. Instead, they let in dust which smelled like mildew and coated surfaces in their homes.

Maria and others reached out to the company that was developing the new building and they provided them with air filters, but the damage was done.

Maria said her husband had extreme eye irritation and she had her first asthma attack in 10 years, requiring a trip to the emergency room.

Emmy Lebonte, a senior who lives in the neighbourhood, said she was sick as well and it turned into double pneumonia, from which she has only just recovered. Children in the neighbourhood experienced mucous in their eyes and noses, they said.

However, she was turned around by each source she went to for help, each of them saying dust mitigation would be a bylaw issue.

So, after contacting Island Health, her MLAB次元官网网址檚 office and the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, going to council was her last resort.

B次元官网网址淚t was a bit like an assault for our neighbourhood so IB次元官网网址檝e gone through the stages, so now IB次元官网网址檓 just at trying to prevent this from happening again,B次元官网网址� said Maria, adding that with many developments planned for the area, she said sheB次元官网网址檚 scared.

B次元官网网址淭hey consider it in the bylaw to be a nuisance issue and they are not addressing the health issue,B次元官网网址� Maria said. B次元官网网址淚 think it is just not a comprehension of how dangerous it is or of how widespread it became during that time, so this is where they need to learn containment. Every level of government and agency that I went to said it was a bylaw issue no matter what. There seems like an inability to want to acknowledge that there is an issue.B次元官网网址�

Unsatisfied with the results from her local government, she reached out to the company again to ask about dust mitigation.

B次元官网网址淚 felt very neglected by my local government,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 notified them when I got sick and contacted bylaw, we told the development that we needed mitigation and they gave us air purifiers and put two sprinklers on. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 adequate.B次元官网网址�

While she knows her experience canB次元官网网址檛 be changed at this point, and sheB次元官网网址檚 been told she canB次元官网网址檛 really prove the demolition was the reason for the illnesses, she went to Esquimalt council on Feb. 13 to ask for preventative measures.

She asked the council to strengthen the existing bylaw regulating maintence of property to include prior review of the site before demolition, including the climate and weather on the days demolition is scheduled. She also asked for appropriate safety measures, including water on site and misting to reduce the amount of dust emitted, as well as adequate notification regarding the time of the demolition, to ensure people in the surrounding area can take measures to reduce harm, such as closing windows.

The current bylaw states, B次元官网网址淣o Owner or Occupier shall emit, make or cause or permit to be emitted B次元官网网址� any odour, vibration, illumination, dust or other matter which disturbs or is liable to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of any person or persons in the neighbourhood or vicinity.B次元官网网址�

The bylaw is compaint-driven and the Township of Esquimalt said the first step is to seek compliance, such as instituting sprinklers in the case of dust pollution. If the situation is not remedied, bylaw officers will issue a fine of $150-250 per day. Rather than a complaint-driven response, Maria asked council for preventative measures.

B次元官网网址淚 would like them to investigate ways to assess a site and let them know what they should be doing during demolition to keep this from happening in the first place,B次元官网网址� Maria said. B次元官网网址淲e sat in the dust for two weeks. I really donB次元官网网址檛 want to see this happen again to anyone else in the township.B次元官网网址�

In response to her presentation on Monday, Mayor Barb Desjardins said there will be a restructuring of a Good Neighbour Policy that was developed 2005-2009, which Desjardins said sets out expectations for developers.

B次元官网网址淚 do believe that developers only go by law, I think the only way to prevent other people from getting sick is through protocols in a bylaw,B次元官网网址� Maria said. B次元官网网址淚t really is all on councilB次元官网网址檚 shoulders. Everyone said it was all up to them and to prevent people from getting sick again, they need to create a better bylaw.B次元官网网址�

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