Contractor in charge of failed Kingston causeway fix suing feds, engineering firm for $8M
The legal battle surrounding the failed repair job of the century-old bridge in Kingston, Ont. continues to escalate as the contractor hired to rehabilitate the structure, Landform Civil Infrastructures Inc. (LCI), is now suing the federal government and an engineering firm for over $8 million. However, LCI itself is facing several lawsuits from subcontractors seeking to recoup costs as the parties involved in the project point fingers over who is to blame for the bridge’s collapse.
The lawsuit filed by LCI alleges that the government is withholding payment and spreading misinformation by wrongly attributing the bridge’s buckling to LCI. The company claims that Sigma Risk, the engineering firm tasked with investigating the incident, negligently and incorrectly determined that LCI was at fault for the damage. These actions have severely impacted LCI’s reputation, causing them to miss out on other job opportunities and resulting in financial losses.
The LaSalle Causeway bridge, a vital link connecting Kingston’s downtown with its eastern suburbs, was damaged on March 30, 2024, and demolished in June of the same year. The closure of the bridge for over six months caused traffic congestion for commuters and significant financial losses for local businesses and tourism operators.
In addition to the lawsuit against the government and Sigma Risk, LCI is facing legal action from three subcontractors who claim they have not been paid for their services. These subcontractors are collectively seeking $1.6 million in unpaid invoices and withheld payments from LCI and its president, Derek Martin. The subcontractors allege that LCI misled them and acted deceptively, resulting in financial losses for their companies.
The legal proceedings are ongoing, with statements of defence yet to be filed by Sigma Risk and the federal government. LCI denies the allegations made by the subcontractors and asserts that they will not receive payment until the government fulfills its financial obligations. The contractor also filed a counterclaim against one of the subcontractors, alleging that their work compromised the structural integrity of the bridge.
The root cause of the bridge’s collapse, referred to as the “Amson Incident” by LCI, has been attributed to deviations from the work procedure and the removal of critical support from the steel truss that supported the bridge’s counterweight. While Sigma Risk’s analysis points to the subcontractor’s actions as the cause of the damage, LCI argues that the bridge failure was due to a defect in the plans provided by the government.
As the legal battle continues to unfold, the residents of Kingston are left grappling with the aftermath of the bridge collapse and the ongoing disputes between the parties involved in the failed repair job. The future of the LaSalle Causeway bridge remains uncertain, as the legal proceedings seek to assign accountability for the costly and damaging incident.
