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Residents of Old Fort, B.C., suing province, others over slow-moving slide

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A slow moving landslide is seen inching down a hillside in northern British Columbia, prompting the evacuation of nearby Old Fort, B.C., in an undated handout photo. Residents of a tiny community in northern British Columbia are suing the local and provincial governments over two slow-moving landslides that they say caused their property values to plummet. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-B.C. Ministry of Forests and Lands, Marten Geertsema, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Residents of a tiny community in northeastern British Columbia are suing the local and provincial governments over two slow-moving landslides they claim caused their property values to plummet.

In a notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court this week, 35 residents in Old Fort., B.C., allege negligence and breach of their charter right to security of the person.

Evacuation orders and alerts were issued in September 2018 and June 2020 after a slope above the community of about 50 homes slumped, damaging the only road in and out.

The claim alleges that the first slide was caused by activity at the Blair Pit gravel mine and also that it was foreseeable that construction at the Site C dam project a kilometre away would cause or contribute to a slide.

The Peace River Regional District and gravel pit owner Deasan Holdings declined to comment as the matter is before the courts.

The B.C. government and City of Fort St. John said they had yet to be served, while BC Hydro, the utility building Site C, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.