A Hadgraft Wilson Place resident is suing the University of British Columbia (UBC) and UBC Properties Investments Ltd. over the disruption of lifestyle and loss of education.
The civil suit, filed with the Supreme Court of B.C. in Kelowna, named Natasha Chance as the plaintiff.
In March 2024, Chance and 83 other Hadgraft residents were given 48 hours to evacuate their homes due to safety concerns resulting from the construction of UBCO’s 43-storey tower campus at 550 Doyle Avenue, court documents state.
READ MORE: UBCO requests access for assessment of evacuated Kelowna apartments
Chance was relocated multiple times within a month, finally ending up at Okanagan College (OC) with other residents, and has had to rent a storage unit to house many of her belongings.
She had two cats, but OC’s policy allowed only one pet per resident, and therefore had to give one of them away.
READ MORE: Evacuated residents of limited income apartment moved to Okanagan College
According to court documents, the evacuation also disrupted Chance’s education as she missed the first two weeks of classes at Discovery Community College due to the relocation chaos. The college discharged her, requiring Chance to reapply next semester.
The suit states the cumulative stress from losing her home, belongings, cat, and education has severely impacted Chance’s mental health, exacerbating pre-existing conditions.
Chance is seeking general, special, and punitive damages, as well as costs and other relief that may be deemed appropriate by the court.
UBC and UBC Properties Investments Ltd. have 35 days to respond to the claim. None of the allegations have been tested in court.
UBC Properties Investments Ltd. is the trustee of UBC Properties Trust which develops, owns and operates residential, mixed-use, and commercial properties on behalf of UBC.
A class action suit has also been filed against UBC Properties Trust and the City of Kelowna.
READ MORE: Evacuated residents launch class action lawsuit against UBC, City of Kelowna
READ MORE: Evacuated Kelowna apartment now deemed unsafe to enter