B.C woman awarded nearly $750K in court case against contractor

A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision.

A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision.

The ruling in the dispute, which dates back to 2018, was handed down in Vernon Supreme Court last week after a summary trial.

Beverly Wanklyn was suing her former contractor Rene Bertrand and his company for breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation – also alleging the money she paid was diverted to other projects. The company, at the time, was doing business as Elite Life & Home Painting & Renovations.

"After paying them a total of $771,207.96 and waiting over a year and a half for the work to be done, she finally lost faith in them and hired a different contractor to complete the job," the decision says.

In 2017, Wanklyn lived alone in a lakefront Kelowna home, according to the decision. In January of that year, she hired Bernard to build a guest suite in the home, paying him approximately $76,000. That project went according to plan.

"After Mr. Bertrand successfully completed the guest suite, they discussed a more comprehensive renovation of the rest of the house," the decision said, noting that Wanklyn had a month-long vacation planned in the spring.

"Mr. Bertrand told her that he could do the work and have it essentially completed while she was away."