There’s a need to make it more difficult for people and organizations to successfully sue municipalities.
That according to the president of McDougall Insurance Ross McDougall.
McDougall was a guest on CJBQ’s Lorne Brooker Show Monday morning and the topic being discussed was the controversial closing and fencing off of the Harold Quarry north of the village of Stirling.
Stirling-Rawdon council decided to close the quarry, long used by residents to draw water and for recreation, after concerns about costs and the availability of liability insurance for the municipality.
McDougall says everyone is suing municipalities these days and fewer companies are willing to insure them.
“They’re not going to write insurance unless they see a way to make a profit at it and the lawsuits that are allowed to take place against municipal governments are onerous. They need to make some changes in the laws.”
McDougall says a regulation stipulating that a municipality’s insurance company could be forced to pay the entire damage award even if found only 1% responsible for an incident is unfair but is the law as it now stands.
Hastings County and countless other municipalities have been pressing senior government for changes to liability regulations to ease the burden on taxpayers.
Monday night Stirling-Rawdon council will vote on a motion to allow farmers limited access to the Harold Quarry to draw water while waiting for an insurance company report on options, if any, regarding allowing swimming.
