North Bay residents sue city and federal government over PFAS groundwater contamination
Residents of North Bay have filed a $105 million class-action lawsuit against the City and the Department of Defence, alleging that firefighting foams containing PFAS contaminated their well water. The suit seeks damages for property value loss and punitive damages but excludes health claims. The contamination led to bottled water provision as PFAS levels exceeded safety guidelines due to military site operations from the 1970s to 1995.
North Bay residents have launched a class-action lawsuit against the City of North Bay and the Canadian Department of Defence (DND), claiming that the use of PFAS-laden firefighting foams on a military airbase and training site contaminated local well water and caused significant property value losses. The lawsuit, filed in Ontario Superior Court, seeks approximately $100 million for property diminution and $5 million in punitive damages, excluding health-related claims. The contamination was linked to decades of firefighting foam use at Jack Garland Airport and an adjacent Canadian Forces Base between the 1970s and 1995. PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' persist in the environment and have been associated with serious health risks such as cancer and immune disorders. Despite Ottawa's early awareness by 1994 of these risks, the foams continued in use, and by 2011 DND knew groundwater PFAS levels exceeded federal guidelines. Testing in 2013 found PFAS in Lee's Creek, a water source feeding Trout Lake, North Bay's main drinking supply. After stricter provincial water standards in 2017, the department acknowledged unsafe well water and began providing bottled water and alternate supplies to affected residents. The lawsuit demands remediation of contamination, provision of advanced filtration systems, and control measures to stop further PFAS release. The City, which took over the airport in 1998, is investing in soil remediation and plans costly upgrades to its water treatment to address PFAS contamination. Approximately 200-300 homes within a three-kilometer radius of the site may be impacted, including properties on private wells not served by municipal water. The DND is currently undertaking a $20 million cleanup of contaminated soil, but residents remain concerned about long-term exposure and environmental impacts.
