The municipality of Brighton could be looking at legal action against the International Joint Commission regarding flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline.
The town has hired a lawyer and expects a legal opinion on the issue in April.
Mayor Brian Ostrander tells Quinte News that Brighton and communities across the Quinte region have dealt with flooding issues for two years, 2017 and 2019, as a result of Ontario lake levels,
“This is an incredibly important issue for the municipality. And our concern’s not just for our own municipal infrastructure but also for those businesses and residents that reside along the lakeshore.”
He added, “We reached out to a legal firm and asked that very question. What can be done? And we fully expect to have the report back to council on our opportunities or options in April of this year.”
“I think the thought might be that if they’re able to form a suit against the IJC then, in the United States, there may be that opportunity here as well.”
Brighton has retained the law firm of Baker McKenzie to determine the viability of any civil claim for losses relating to Lake Ontario shoreline flooding.
The legal counsel had provided a report last fall and the full report will be before council in April.
Ostrander added that if New York can file a suit against the commission there might be an opportunity in Ontario as well.
He told Quinte News other municipalities in the Quinte area that have had flooding issues at the lakeshore may be interested as well.
