Homeowners fed up, demand accountability after flood destroys Embrun homes

A new report blames improper grading and a blocked catch basin for flooding and destroying a property in Embrun, Ont. last year. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

A year after a newly built semi-detached property in Embrun, Ont. was destroyed by flooding, an engineering report points to improper grading and a blocked catch basin as the cause.

Brenden Haldane purchased the home in the community of St. Thomas Place, about 45 kilometers southeast of Ottawa, last February as an investment.

“My work has been impacted, my kids’ lives have been impacted, my mom’s life has been impacted,” Haldane said. “Every day I wake up thinking if this is the day that I’m out of money.”

• Embrun, Ont. flood leaves tenants homeless and homeowners seeking accountability

In March, catastrophic flooding destroyed the home along with the one next door, displacing seven tenants, including Haldane’s mother.

“I was giving back to my mom in the best way possible and in the blink of an eye, it’s all taken away from you,” he said.

According to the engineering report obtained by CTV News Ottawa, in some areas Haldane’s property slopes two feet lower than the house adjacent to his, sending water to the foundation.

Which the report says that along with a retaining wall installed months after he moved in, violates the Ontario Building Code and “will likely cause a reoccurrence of this issue if corrective actions are not undertaken.”

“I basically purchased a new home and expected it to be up to code or up to par,” Haldane said. “It was only when I noticed that I did not get sod and everyone else had gotten theirs and their grading was complete that it raised questions.”

Haldane, along with the owner next-door Josée Greaves, say they weren’t aware of any grading issues when they bought from Saca Homes in February and April 2024.

“I would have never purchased this property had I been aware that there were deficiencies from the beginning,” said Greaves.

CTV News reached out to Saca Homes for comment but was directed to the municipality and developer for questions, saying, “The developer, who Saca Homes buys lots from, puts in this infrastructure and it then gets reviewed by the municipality.”

A grading report from October 2023 shows their lots had not yet met grading and drainage standards, months before they moved in.

The grading didn’t pass final inspection by the Township of Russell until November 2024, now the homeowners are questioning if it should have passed in the first place.

“It’s very frustrating that all of those little things that they were aware of were just hidden and not told to us,” said Greaves.

Emails from the builder show work was still being signed off on after the homeowners took possession, including the installation of a retaining wall on Haldane’s property.

In one exchange from October 2024, Saca Homes tells Haldane, “The developer is responsible for the grading issues on your lot. We are waiting on the good to go signal from them. Their engineers need to sign off on the grading plan and the retention wall. Once that is done, the city planner must sign off on it as well.”

“I just thought putting the retaining wall was a preventative measure… I didn’t think that my house was going to flood at all, let alone to that extent. For five to six feet of water to enter the home is completely abnormal,” Haldane said. “Here we are, brand new home that is pretty much a year old now and it’s condemned, it’s absurd.”

The township’s insurer alleges it’s not at fault, saying, “Our investigation is now complete, and we have found that the Township of Russell was not responsible for the storm water management system at the time of the loss.”

Pointing to the storm water management system for the flooding, the township alleges the developer 1437137 Ontario Inc. has, “Not yet applied for approval of the storm water management system; therefore, the storm water management system is still under their jurisdiction.”

But according to the engineering report, while the blocked catch basin was a culprit, it also says, “The elevation of this building and the inadequate grading relative to the neighbour’s and adjacent terrain caused this scenario where this accumulation of water adjacent to the foundation was possible.”

While insurance is covering some of the damage next door, Haldane says he’s been left high and dry, while getting quotes of upwards of $250,000.

“The fact that the house needs to be pretty much elevated, there’s only two ways to do that. Either you lift the house, redo the foundation and put it back or you just completely tear it down,” he said.

“Whether it be the builder, whether it be the municipality, whether it be the insurance company, whether it be the developer, somebody needs to take responsibility.”

The Township of Russell replied Wednesday to a request for comment to say it could not comment further.

“Because of the ongoing legal considerations, I can’t provide the requested information. I appreciate your understanding as we follow the appropriate processes,” an email said.