In response to inquiries, the Village of Lytton would like to provide clarification about a Notice of Civil Claim filed on June 16, 2023:
The Municipal Insurance Association (MIABC—the property insurance company for both the Village of Lytton and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD)—filed the Notice of Civil Claim (which was reported in the news) against CN Rail, CP Rail, and Transport Canada. These are the same defendants named in the class action suit from village residents.
As the insurance provider, MIABC will pay damages to the Village of Lytton and TNRD for insured losses resulting from the Lytton Creek Fire on June 30, 2021. After paying out claims to the Village of Lytton and the TNRD, the MIABC has the right to subrogation, where they can seek reimbursement from any at-fault parties. The statute of limitation period for civil claims is two years, and the MIABC has filed this Notice of Civil Claim to extend the timeline by an additional year, up to June 30, 2024. This would allow MIABC to potentially recover costs from any party named in the Notice of Civil Claim that may be deemed to be at fault in the future.
MIABC has no current intention to pursue the lawsuit and will not be serving any of the parties named in the lawsuit at this time.
The Village of Lytton had been in discussions with MIABC, but was not aware that the Notice of Civil Claim had been filed.
We aim to build trust through openness and transparency with the community and apologize for the confusion.
