The Johnson Street Bridge is at the centre of a legal entanglement consisting of three lawsuits between the City of Victoria and several contractors.
While the number may sound forboding, project director Jonathan Huggett said that some suits are simply placeholders for potential claims.
B次元官网网址淲e have to distinguish a lawsuit thatB次元官网网址檚 filed, versus a lawsuit thatB次元官网网址檚 served,B次元官网网址� he explained. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a two- year statute of limitation from the date from which you had a claim to the time youB次元官网网址檙e allowed to file the claim. YouB次元官网网址檒l often find companies will file a potential claim simply to preserve their rights.B次元官网网址�
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A suit between design consultant WSP Canada Group and the City is an example of one suit filed.
In the claim, WSP is asking the city for $297,000 for work in regards to fendering on the north side of the bridge.
B次元官网网址淲SP and fendering is an ongoing discussion,B次元官网网址� Huggett said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e doing ongoing work for us at no cost on the fenderingB次元官网网址�. The relationships with WSP is good and weB次元官网网址檙e trying to solve it. I doubt that it will ever end up in court.B次元官网网址�
The city is also facing a suit from the bridgeB次元官网网址檚 general contractor, PCL Westcoast Ltd. for failure to provide design changes to PCL in B次元官网网址渁 timely mannerB次元官网网址� and for unreasonable design changes.
B次元官网网址淧CL is suing the city, because PCL only had a contract with the City,B次元官网网址� Hugget said, adding that Victoria had nothing to do with designing the bridge. B次元官网网址淚f PCL thinks that [design sub-contractor] Hardesty & Hannover, or WSP did something wrong, the only way to go after them is to go after the City.B次元官网网址�
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In that same suit, WSP and Hardesty & Hannover LLC are listed as defendants.
A third suit is between PCL and the company they sub-contracted to oversee steel fabrication in China, Atema Inc.
In a served B.C. Supreme Court civil claim, Atema is suing PCL and the City for hundreds of thousands of dollars, saying PCL owes Atema nearly $172,000 in unpaid invoices, recovery fees and interest, while the City owes them nearly $91,000 for funds held back in liens.
In a counter-claim PCL claims Atema acted B次元官网网址渘egligentlyB次元官网网址� and breached their contract when they B次元官网网址渇ailed to performB次元官网网址� their services with the expected standards or with good industry practice, for which PCL B次元官网网址渟uffered loss and damage.B次元官网网址�
In a response, Atema denies any negligence or breach of contract.
Huggett wasnB次元官网网址檛 phased by the multiple suits, saying heB次元官网网址檚 worked in construction for over 40 years.
B次元官网网址淲hen you get a contract like this and reach the end, youB次元官网网址檙e gonna throw mud at everyone and see what sticks,B次元官网网址� he said.
