Firm admits it 'under designed' Dieppe buildings in latest lawsuits alleging errors

Shane Magee · CBC News

· Posted: May 02, 2025 3:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

A institution owned by a suspended technologist admits it "under designed" 2 Dieppe buildings successful effect to lawsuits astir the structures alleging errors that request costly repairs.

The lawsuits filed successful March say Match Engineering provided structural designs for buildings connected Champlain Street successful Dieppe. That brings the fig of lawsuits naming the Moncton firm, oregon its proprietor and sole manager Hélène Thériault, to 10 since March 2024.

Thériault was suspended by the relation that regulates the engineering assemblage successful New Brunswick past May. The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick cited "allegations of superior deficiencies successful the plan of aggregate buildings, some constructed and nether construction."

CBC News reported past twelvemonth that a Halifax-based technologist reported Thériault to the relation aft being asked by a gathering proprietor to reappraisal a Dieppe gathering she designed. The engineer, John Richardson, told CBC News he visited oregon reviewed plans for aggregate buildings she worked on, concluding immoderate were astatine hazard of collapse.

The issues Richardson described chiefly related to factual slabs implicit indoor parking spaces that clasp up the remainder of the structure. 

None person collapsed, and buildings with alleged plan issues were temporarily stabilized arsenic longer-term changes to the structures were installed.

The latest 2 cases were filed by 701047 N.B. Inc. and 339 Champlain Development Inc.

The 2 cases allege Match was negligent by preparing improper designs and failing to conscionable nonrecreational standards. The allegations haven't been tested successful court.

"In oregon astir precocious 2024, portion operation was underway, the Plaintiff learned that determination were errors successful the structural plan of the Building, requiring important repair and remediation work," a connection of assertion says astir 1 of the buildings. 

That lawsuit about 339 Champlain St. alleges completion of the multi-storey mixed-use gathering was delayed astir 8 months. It alleges that's caused mislaid rental revenue and spending an estimated $1 cardinal for "repair and remediation work."

The 2nd lawsuit astir 279 Champlain St., completed successful 2022, alleges the gathering proprietor learned of "errors successful the structural design" successful precocious 2024 which required repair and remediation. The lawsuit says the enactment was scheduled to statesman successful April of this year, past astir 2 months, and outgo an estimated $350,000.

WATCH | More lawsuits implicit alleged gathering plan flaws:

In some cases, documents filed successful effect to the lawsuits state, "Match acknowledges that it nether designed definite structural elements of the project."

However, some statements of defence filed precocious past period accidental that if gathering owners suffered losses, it wasn't the responsibility of Match. Instead, the documents accidental that if determination are losses, they are  the responsibility of contractors, gathering officials or others. 

"Match further states that if the Plaintiff suffered immoderate nonaccomplishment oregon damages arsenic alleged, that it failed to instrumentality due steps to mitigate specified nonaccomplishment oregon damage," the statements of defence successful some cases say.

Match has asked for the 2 cases to beryllium dismissed. 

James Boudreau, the lawyer representing Match and Thériault, has antecedently told CBC that neither helium nor his lawsuit would supply a remark portion tribunal cases are ongoing.

Last year, the engineering relation that suspended Thériault said an external researcher would reappraisal the designs of buildings she worked on, a study that would "further pass aboriginal actions."

Lauren Nicholson, a spokesperson for the association, said Friday that the enactment had nary further update connected the reappraisal oregon the subject process involving Thériault.

Nicholson didn't reply whether the reappraisal has been completed.