Ottawa Widow and Young Child Left Without Water for Over a Month During Winter — Files Judicial Review Alleging Procedural Unfairness by City
Ottawa, ON – May 8, 2025 – An Ottawa widow and grandmother of a young child were left without running water for 37 days during the harsh winter months, despite her account being in good standing and her compliance with municipal water bylaws. Water service was only restored on December 20, 2024 after filing an Urgent Notice of Motion pending the outcome of her Judicial Review Application challenging the City of Ottawa's actions.
The Judicial Review alleges a lack of due process and procedural fairness, citing that the City failed to respond to three formal complaint letters submitted by the applicant during the disconnection period. According to her court filings, the City’s actions left her and her grandchild without access to basic sanitation and water—conditions she argues are in violation of fundamental rights.
The physical and emotional toll on the family has been significant. As a result of having to haul 5-gallon bottles of water to meet her family’s daily needs, the widow sustained a debilitating back injury that required intensive and costly physical therapy. She was unable to walk her beloved dog for three months, host Christmas with family, and faced plumbing damage from air buildup in the pipes once water service resumed.
Although Justice Labrosse ordered that the matter proceed to case management, the court’s trial coordination office has not contacted the applicant to schedule a hearing date since mid-January 2025 as ordered — delaying progress in a matter concerning fundamental rights and access to essential services.
In early April, additional individuals have come forward seeking to join the Judicial Review as applicants, raising broader concerns about the City’s conduct in similar situations. The widow agreed and formally requested the City’s consent to amend her application, but the City refused, forcing her to prepare and file a separate motion to add applicants.
Rather than responding directly to that motion, the City is now seeking guidance via Case Management from Justice Labrosse in an apparent attempt to divert the process—despite the fact that this is a distinct and separate issue from the previously ordered case management.
“This isn’t just about water—it’s about dignity, fairness, and accountability,” said the applicant. “I followed every rule and was still cut off, without explanation, in the middle of winter. Now the City is using procedural roadblocks to avoid addressing the issue in open court.”
The applicant is urging the court to allow the motion to proceed without delay and to ensure that procedural gamesmanship does not override access to justice for vulnerable residents.