logo
Lawyer says tenants ‘crushed' by court ruling they must leave B.C. mobile home park

Lawyer says tenants ‘crushed' by court ruling they must leave B.C. mobile home park

CTV News5 days ago
A lawyer for tenants of a mobile home park on Songhees First Nation reserve land on Vancouver Island says his clients are 'absolutely crushed' after losing a lawsuit challenging their evictions.
A ruling posted Tuesday says the residents of E. George Estates Manufactured Home Park have lived there for decades, and believed they'd have a 'long-term or perpetual interest' in the lands even though they didn't own the properties.
The park was established in the 1970s and the Songhees First Nation took control of it in 2019, then moved two years later to end tenancies of the plaintiffs who are not members of the nation.
The ruling says the reserve is overcrowded and the First Nation wants to develop the lands for 'much-needed housing for its members,' telling plaintiffs in June 2021 that they'd have to move out in three years.
Justice Veronica Jackson's ruling says the court has 'a great deal of sympathy' for the plaintiffs, many of them elderly with health problems, but mobile home park tenants anywhere face the prospect of lease terminations, and three years' notice was 'more than reasonable.'
Lawyer Michael Drouillard, representing the 30 plaintiffs, says his clients are 'overwhelmed' at the prospect of having to leave, and have been given until Aug. 15 to vacate under threat of having their utilities turned off.
Drouillard said he has filed an appeal of the ruling, which he said the court delayed releasing publicly for a month 'to respect the privacy of the plaintiffs during a period of transition.'
He said the decision was 'absolutely crushing' to the plaintiffs.
'Most of them, their finances are now wiped out because they paid a lot of money for these homes that they now have to move and which are actually not really capable of being moved as a practical matter because of the costs and logistics involved,' he said.
He said one of the plaintiffs had a stroke and is no longer able to take care of himself, and others lack a support network to help them figure out what to do now that they've lost the case.
'It's very overwhelming for these folks,' he said.
The ruling says many of the tenant plaintiffs were under the mistaken impression the mobile home park lands were covered by a 99-year lease, but instead were month-to-month tenants.
It says some thought that if they paid their rent and taxes and followed park rules 'they could stay forever.'
The judge said the situation facing the tenants has been a source of 'tremendous personal hardship and financial distress.'
'However, the situation is not of the Songhees Nation's making,' Jackson ruled. 'None of the plaintiffs were ever entitled to a long-term interest in their sites.'
Drouillard said he has filed an appeal, and worries that some tenants are at 'immediate risk of homelessness' if they're forced to leave by the deadline set out in a letter sent by the Songhees First Nation on July 15.
'The reason why I'm saying they're at heightened risk for homelessness is because this eviction has both required them to leave, but it's also annihilated their life savings,' he said.
Lawyer Kaelan Unrau for the Songhees First Nation said his client wasn't immediately available for comment on the court's ruling.
The ruling says the park was established in the 1970s and operated by a company owned by a First Nation member who later died, before the First Nation took it over.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The U.S. economy is thriving in spite of tariffs. Will it last?
The U.S. economy is thriving in spite of tariffs. Will it last?

CBC

time44 minutes ago

  • CBC

The U.S. economy is thriving in spite of tariffs. Will it last?

By just about every indicator, the U.S. economy is holding up remarkably well. When Donald Trump launched his global trade war, economists and markets said his tariff policy would slow the economy, drive up prices and dramatically reduce global trade. And yet, stocks are at all-time highs, the country's employment is strong, its economy is expanding and the expected surge in inflation hasn't materialized. Canada's economy has shown surprising resilience, as well, with consumer spending starting to pick up last month and unemployment declining. Economists told CBC News it's unclear whether the tariffs' impact was overestimated, or if further pain lies ahead. But they say resilience in both countries is fragile, and could be quickly upended if the trade war worsens or expands. A lack of retaliation BMO's chief economist Douglas Porter says two key factors are driving the recent U.S. resilience. "Other nations have not really been retaliating against the U.S., so their own exports are not facing that much pressure. And on the flip side, the U.S. consumer has been pretty heavily sheltered so far from this," said Porter. In the meantime, American businesses have not passed on the costs of tariffs. General Motors, for example, released earnings last week that said Trump's tariff policies drove down profits by 35 per cent in the second quarter. The automaker said tariffs on cars and parts led to a $1.1-billion US loss in its quarterly earnings. But still, it has not increased prices. Royce Mendes, managing director at Desjardins Capital Markets, says that's becoming a trend among affected American companies. "Some companies may choose to just eat the tariff increase in costs rather than draw the ire of President Trump," said Mendes. GM stock fell on the news, but has since rebounded, paring losses and climbing almost all the way back to where it was before it published its earnings. Financial markets have had some pretty volatile sessions, including steep sell-offs when tariffs are announced, and big rallies when exemptions are made. But stock markets in both Canada and the U.S. are at or near record highs — which investors believe is a sign that the resilience we're seeing will last. A stockpile of products The question, though, is whether the impact of the tariffs has simply been delayed. When the levies were first announced last spring, businesses around the world scrambled to get product out the door and into the United States. That has led to a huge stockpile of products — and it means American importers have not yet had to bear the worst of the tariffs. WATCH | The future of Canada-U.S. free trade: Is Canada-US free trade dead? | About That 4 days ago North American free trade is teetering on the edge of uncertainty as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs continue to complicate how goods come and go. Andrew Chang explores signs that free trade — as we've come to know it — is on its way out, and challenges that may lie ahead in renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters. "There was a lot of front-running and that may be one of the big reasons why we haven't seen much impact yet," said BMO's Porter. "There's probably some pain to come, but I don't think it's going to be as bad as many economists were fretting about earlier this year, at least for the U.S." Canada's economy has shown resilience, too But both economists point to the fact that Canada's economy has also fared better than almost anyone had expected. Economic growth shrank in April, but only by 0.1 per cent. Statistics Canada says another 0.1 per cent decline is likely for May. (Those numbers will be confirmed on Thursday.) The unemployment rate has actually begun to decline since peaking in May at seven per cent. And last week's retail sales figures showed consumer spending had started to pick up again in June. "We've been pointing to this broader resilience in consumer spending," said Claire Fan, a senior economist with RBC. She says consumer sentiment plunged in the spring, at the height of the uncertainty. But since then, RBC crunched U.S. customs data and found exemptions for CUSMA-compliant products have dragged the average effective tariff rate all the way down to as low as 2.3 per cent. "It's a reflection of President Trump's overall strategy of coming out very aggressive early on, but then walking things back. I mean, the tariffs have not been as punitive for Canada as initially believed — nowhere close to it," said Mendes of Desjardins. Sector-specific pain However, real damage has been done in sectors like auto, steel, aluminum and lumber. The concern now is that the carve-outs Canada has secured for CUSMA-compliant products won't last. "Unless a trade deal is reached to significantly reduce U.S.-Canada tariffs by Aug. 1, when new U.S. tariffs are set to come into effect, we expect job losses and higher prices from tariffs to squeeze disposable income and cause households to tighten their purse strings," wrote Michael Davenport, senior economist at Oxford Economics in a note to clients. WATCH | Negotiations continue between Canada and the U.S.: Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., said Canada will only accept a deal when there is one in the best interest of workers and the Canadian economy on the table. On the one hand, some in the Trump administration will look at the U.S. economy's relative resilience as a reason to double down and push harder for more and more punitive tariffs. But escalation wouldn't just be bad for the Canadian economy. Right now, most businesses and consumers on both sides of the border have been sheltered from the worst impacts of the tariffs. That shelter depends on a fine and tricky balance of importers eating some costs, exporters dropping some prices and countries limiting retaliatory measures. Upending that balance further comes with risks on both sides of the dispute.

Hyper Bit Advances Funds for Purchase of an Additional Ten ElphaPex DG1+ Crypto Miners
Hyper Bit Advances Funds for Purchase of an Additional Ten ElphaPex DG1+ Crypto Miners

Globe and Mail

timean hour ago

  • Globe and Mail

Hyper Bit Advances Funds for Purchase of an Additional Ten ElphaPex DG1+ Crypto Miners

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 28, 2025) - HYPER BIT TECHNOLOGIES LTD. (CSE: HYPE) (OTCID: HYPAF) (FSE: N7S0) (the "Company" or "Hyper Bit") announces it has advanced funds to DogeCoin Mining Technologies Corp. (" DogeCoin Mining") for the purchase of an additional ten (10) ElphaPex DG1+ miners for the mining of Dogecoin ("DOGE") and Litecoin ("LTC") bringing the total number of DG1+ miners purchased to date to twenty (20). These miners will be installed and professionally managed at the third party owned, 11 MW renewable energy powered facility in Quebec, Canada. The Company has secured preferential pricing of USD $5,400 per unit for a total purchase of USD $108,000 for the twenty mining units. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Mr. Dallas La Porta, President, CEO and Director of Hyper Bit Technologies Ltd., stated:"We have now forwarded the necessary funds to complete our initial DG1+ Miner purchase order of twenty units and look forward to the installation of these mining rigs at the purpose built and professionally managed,11 MW renewable energy powered facility in Quebec, Canada. These high efficiency ASIC mining rigs will be deployed and optimized to commence Dogecoin and Litecoin mining operations." About Hyper Bit Technologies Ltd. Hyper Bit Technologies Ltd. is a forward-thinking, diversified technology company specializing in the acquisition, development, and strategic deployment of crypto mining operations and blockchain-based innovations. As global interest in digital assets accelerates-driven by the rise of blockchain, decentralized finance (DeFi), and increasing institutional and retail adoption-Hyper Bit is committed to unlocking value across the crypto ecosystem while delivering growth for our stakeholders. Hyper Bit Technologies Ltd. is a member of the Blockchain Association of Canada and the American Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Association. Stay informed on our latest developments by subscribing to Company updates at and follow us across our social media channels: TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Hyper Bit Technologies Ltd. is publicly listed in Canada (CSE: HYPE), the USA (OTCID: HYPAF) and in Europe (FSE: N7S0). ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Dallas La Porta, President, CEO and Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Telephone: 1-604-602-4935 Facsimile: 1-604-602-4936 e-mail: team@ FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release includes statements related to the Proposed Transaction and related matters. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. No investment is without risk. Crypto currencies are particularly volatile and therefore particularly risky. Companies that are developing technologies and investing in crypto mining can potentially be adversely affected by its inherent volatility. Readers are cautioned to always consult an investment advisor to determine if an opportunity is right for you. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The Open Group Launches The Open Group Open Digital Transformation™ Forum
The Open Group Launches The Open Group Open Digital Transformation™ Forum

National Post

time3 hours ago

  • National Post

The Open Group Launches The Open Group Open Digital Transformation™ Forum

Article content Article content SAN FRANCISCO — The Open Group, the vendor-neutral technology consortium, has today announced the formation of The Open Group Open Digital Transformation™ Forum (ODXF). This new initiative will support enterprise Digital Transformation by developing and popularizing pragmatic, open standards in this increasingly valuable and challenging space. Article content By establishing clear guidelines for Digital Transformation initiatives and enabling cross-industry collaboration to share insights and best practices, ODXF aims to ensure that a greater share of Digital Transformation investment globally delivers effective returns on investment and measurably positive impacts on cultural, workforce, and technological changes. Article content 'The vast majority of enterprises today are engaged in Digital Transformation initiatives, with significant global spend in Digital Transformation,' commented Rashed Al-Yami, Governing Board Member of The Open Group and Manager Digital Platforms & Architecture Design Division at Aramco. 'By developing open standards through vendor-neutral collaboration, ODXF can influence the Digital Transformation agenda towards more rigorous and successful practices.' Article content Key focus areas for ODXF include developing standardized frameworks for Digital Transformation initiatives, ensuring consistency, and producing reference architectures which organizations can incorporate in order to make their own Digital Transformation journeys more agile and responsive. Article content The Forum will also collaborate on establishing a body of knowledge, which incorporates a range of documents designed to help users operationalize the standard, as well as ultimately delivering a certification program for practitioners to demonstrate that they understand and can apply best-in-class approaches to Digital Transformation. Article content 'Digital Transformation is not a new term, but the emergence of a range of disruptive technologies, from AI to quantum computing, has made it more urgent than ever for businesses to find a clear guiding path towards proven approaches to this challenge,' said Steve Nunn, President and CEO of The Open Group. 'Our track record of bringing industry stakeholders together in a neutral, collaborative space means that The Open Group is well placed to add value to one of the world's major areas of investment.' Article content The Open Group is a global consortium that enables the achievement of business objectives through technology standards and open source initiatives by fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and mutual respect among our diverse group of 900+ memberships. Our Membership includes customers, systems and solutions suppliers, tool vendors, integrators, academics, and consultants across multiple industries. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media contact Article content Article content Article content Article content

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store