MUSKOKA LAKES – A Bala man is spearheading an attempt to garner support for a class-action lawsuit against the Ontario government over damages caused to Muskoka properties in last spring’s flooding.

Martin Ford is inviting Muskoka Lake residents to an Aug. 21 meeting at the Port Carling Community Centre at 10 a.m. He had sent an email to property owners on Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau, and Lake Joseph to participate in the public meeting to highlight “the steps and the funding investment needed to carry this class action forward.”

“To effect change and to protect our properties and the Muskoka Lakes, a bold step is required and this lawsuit is that step. It affects all Muskoka Lakes property owners now and in the future,” he said. “The flooding issues on the Muskoka lakes are and will continue to be a significant issue for all property owners unless effective change can be made and we believe that the only venue to affect change is legally.”

Ford started an online petition at www.change.org in April called “Stop the Flooding of Lake Muskoka and to Change the Muskoka River Water Management Plan,” asking residents to sign in order to get government officials to change the plan. To date more than 900 people have signed the petition.

It has been estimated by some Muskoka groups the 2016 flooding caused hundreds of millions of dollars in uninsurable damages to waterfront properties.

“I believed from the start of this petition that a lawsuit would be needed to get the government’s attention since no association or local government has the ability to affect this type of change. For 66 years the Muskoka Lakes were managed by an appropriate plan. The current 2006 Muskoka River Water Management Plan was authored by the hydro-generation companies and approved by the MNR, which directly relates to our ongoing flooding issues,” he said.

He said Oatley Vigmond LLP, an experienced class action law firm from Barrie and Toronto, has done the research and investigation to the point where they believe the property owners on the Muskoka Lakes could initiate a class action lawsuit against the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario government.

“The meeting (on Aug. 21) is to highlight and present this opportunity,” he said.

Ford added while not all property owners were affected in 2016, that does not mean they won’t be in 2017 and the future.

“Muskoka property owners need to lead and stand together to affect change of the Muskoka Water Shed Management system. The ongoing issues of flooding will ultimately lead to the devaluation of our property values on the Muskoka Lakes. No one will want to purchase in an area where flooding is normal,” he said.

Ford’s petition is still online and available to be signed. You can find it at https://www.change.org/p/martinford-sunandski-ca-stop-flooding-muskoka-change-the-muskoka-river-water-management-plan.