Families await commissioner's report on Elliot Lake tragedy

The families of the two women killed in a mall roof collapse in June of 2012 are hoping a long-awaited commissioner’s report will include recommendations which will prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in the future, says their counsel.

Commissioner Paul Belanger’s report from the Elliot Lake Commission of Inquiry is due to be released Wednesday morning at 11:00 a.m. in Elliot Lake.

“It is understandably difficult for the families whenever the collapse and the death of their loved ones has to be relived because the tragedy is back in the public eye,” said Roger Oatley, of Oatley Vigmond in Barrie, Ontario, who represents the families of the deceased in lawsuits against the town and others.

Oatley is representing the families of Lucie Aylwin and Doloris Perizzolo, who were killed in the roof collapse.

He said the family would like the commissioner to send a clear signal to municipalities to not overlook public safety.

“What the Aylwin and Perizzolo families are hoping for is for changes in the law which will ensure tragedies like this don’t happen again. They would like to see it as a criminal offence for anyone to withhold reports or information about the structural unsoundness of a building,” said Oatley by phone Tuesday afternoon.

He adds that if a municipality does not have the resources to enforce their own bylaws, the families would like to see those responsibilities uploaded to larger government bodies.

“They will be glad when the commissioner's report is released and behind them, and they will also be glad when we can finally conclude the lawsuit for them,” said Oatley.

With files from Canadian Press.