After nearly fourteen years of legal battles, a $10-million settlement is poised for approval in an Ontario court, bringing a measure of closure to the victims and families impacted by the devastating 2012 Elliot Lake mall collapse.
The tragedy unfolded on June 23, 2012, when a section of the Algo Centre Mall’s rooftop parking lot suddenly gave way, claiming the lives of Lucie Aylwin, 37, and Delores Perizzolo, 74, and leaving nineteen others injured.
Justice Benjamin Glustien, after hearing presentations from all involved parties, announced his intention to approve the agreement, acknowledging that while no sum could undo the past, it represented a step towards fairness and healing for those affected.
The collapse wasn’t a sudden event; it was the culmination of years of neglect. Evidence revealed the mall’s roof had been leaking since its construction, a critical flaw repeatedly ignored by successive owners and management.
The civil case, known as Quinte vs Eastwood Mall et al, was initiated shortly after the disaster and certified two years later, with initial damage claims reaching $30 million. The path to settlement was long and complex, involving extensive mediation and legal proceedings.
The financial responsibility for the settlement is distributed among multiple defendants. The City of Elliot Lake will contribute $3.5 million, while Algoma Central Properties, the original builder, will pay $2 million.
Eastwood Mall Inc., the owner at the time of the collapse, and its president, Bob Nazarian, are responsible for $1.745 million. Previous owners, Retirement Living and NorDev, will each contribute $1 million.
Further contributions come from the engineering firm that inspected the mall just two months prior to the collapse ($730,000), the province of Ontario ($400,000), the supplier of the flawed concrete slabs ($225,000), and the original architect ($175,000).
Importantly, the settlement does not involve any admission of liability from any of the defendants. The agreement allows all parties to move forward, avoiding a potentially protracted and emotionally draining trial.
Following the collapse, the Algo Centre Mall was permanently closed and subsequently demolished, leaving a void in the community and a lasting reminder of the preventable tragedy that unfolded.
