Lawsuit filed, counterclaim threatened over deadly Lions Bay, B.C., slide

The family of a Lions Bay couple killed in a massive landslide last winter has filed a lawsuit against the province, the municipality and a neighbour.

Part of Lions Bay, B.C., remains under a local state of emergency more than five months after a large debris flow claimed two lives when it sent tons of trees, rocks and mud tumbling through a residential neighbourhood.

Long-time Lions Bay residents David and Barbara Enns died in the December 2024 slide, which is now at the centre of a civil suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court.

Several neighbours, along with representatives of the estates of Barabara and David Enns have named the province, the municipality and Steven Vestergaard, who owns a large plot of land in the area as defendants.

The plaintiffs are Michelle Medland, Sean Barry, Fiona Fourie, Barbara Dyer, and Michael Enns, who is listed as the executor of the estates of the deceased.

The allegations laid out in the suit pertain to a road and water reservoir the plaintiffs refer to as “illegal works”.

In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs allege the slide was “caused, or alternatively contributed to,” by construction of the road and reservoir up the slope from where the Enns’ home was swept away.

Vestergaard denies the infrastructure contributed to the debris flow.

“First, my heart goes out to the Enns family. These were the nicest neighbours that I could wish for, and they didn’t deserve this,” he wrote in an email to CTV News.

“The litigation against me is completely frivolous and I will be filing for a motion to dismiss and will be counterclaiming for damages.”

The Village of Lions Bay has filed a response to the statement of claim which disputes the allegations against it.

Representatives for the village declined a CTV News request for comment.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.