A class-action lawsuit has been launched against the meat-processing plant at the centre of a massive national beef recall.
Edmonton resident Matthew Harrison said he became sick and was hospitalized in early September after eating steak at a friend’s house.
Harrison said the steaks were purchased at an Edmonton Costco store and came from the XL Food meat-processing plant, the facility that is thought to be the source of an E.coli contamination that’s prompted the recall of more than 1,500 meat products.
Harrison said he is looking for compensation from the company after missing a week of work.
“It doesn't seem like anybody is being held responsible at this point,” Harrison told CTV News on Tuesday. “It seems like there was some negligence in the way it was handled.”
The lawsuit claims that XL Foods is liable because it produced the meat. None of the claims have been proven in court.
Tuesday, health officials in Saskatchewan reported a spike in E. coli cases after recording 13 infections last month. The province normally records between zero and four cases in September.
Alberta Health Services also confirmed that it is investigating 10 different cases of people falling ill from E. coli.
Of those cases, five involve meat purchased at an Edmonton Costco.
On Sept. 28 the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that four of the Alberta cases of E. coli contamination were linked to XL products.
E. coli was first detected at the XL plant in Brooks, Alta., on Sept. 4. The CFIA suspended the plant’s licence on Sept. 27.
XL Foods has more than 2,000 employees who are now temporarily out of work.
