San Group is suing the City of Port Alberni after what it is calling an "unauthorized, clandestine" search of one of its properties on July 4-5, 2024.
The civil suit alleges Charter of Rights violations, trespass, invasion of privacy, abuse of process and negligence. A notice of claim was filed in Supreme Court in Vancouver on July 31, 2024 seeking unspecified damages as well as a declaration that the search was illegal.
San Group is alleging a search of its remanufacturing property on Stamp Avenue in Port Alberni was undertaken with knowledge of city officials but without judicial authorization or the company's permission.
Bob Bortolin, vice-president of business development at San Group, said the notice of claim stems from a late-night "walk-around" of the reman plant and office buildings, under the guise of a fire order that was issued in September 2022. The claim is not related to an incident that occurred on the company's Hector Road mill site where 16 Vietnamese workers were removed from a residence, Bortolin said.
The City of Port Alberni has 21 days to respond to the civil claim from the date it was issued. None of the accusations have been proven in a court of law.
