The Class Action

On July 20, 2008, an explosion and fire took place in the apartment building located at 2 Secord Avenue in Toronto (“2 Secord”). The explosion originated in a hydro vault and resulted in a five-alarm fire. The force of the explosion and fire caused significant damage and smoke and soot contamination. Thereafter, a class action was commenced against Toronto Hydro-Electric System Ltd..   The City of Toronto was added as a defendant after examinations for discovery.

Class Members

On April 23, 2009, this action was certified as a class action.

The “Class” or “Class Members” were defined as those persons (who did not opt out of this action), who on July 20, 2008:

(i)      rented an apartment, townhouse or other utilizable space at 2 Secord  (a “Unit”); or
(ii)     ordinarily resided in a Unit; or
(iii)    was present in a Unit but was not ordinarily resident in that Unit; or
(iv)    owned or had an interest in property located in a Unit; or
(v)     owned some or all of the Units

excluding Toronto Hydro-Electric System Ltd. and Gonte Construction Limited, and their officers, directors, servants or agents and also excluding employees of the City of Toronto, who in the course of their employment with the fire department attended at 2 Secord Avenue on July 20, 2008.

The Settlement

On June 16, 2014, Justice Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the settlement of this class action.  A copy of the Judgment and Distribution Plan summarizing the settlement, may be downloaded from the Documents page of this website.

The Claims Administrator

Justice Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has appointed Marsh Risk Consulting Canada as the Claims Administrator of the Settlement.