Background:
Jennifer Hansma, representing a class of former residents, guests, and visitors of the Winters Hotel in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, sought compensation for damages after a fire on April 11, 2022, destroyed the hotel, displacing over 70 people and resulting in loss of property.

Legal Issues:
Key issues involved (1) approving a protocol for notifying class members about the class action and (2) determining liability for costs associated with the notification. Hansma’s legal team proposed a comprehensive Notice Program to reach class members through posters, letters, emails, and social media. The defendants, including Atira Property Management Inc., Atira Development Society, Atira Women’s Resource Society, the City of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, Winters Residence Ltd., and the British Columbia Housing Management Commission, objected to bearing certain costs and raised privacy concerns about providing residents' contact information.

Court Decision:
The court approved Hansma’s Notice Program, ordering defendants to cover notification costs but capping discretionary advertising at $500 and social worker expenses at $7,000. Privacy concerns were acknowledged, but the court required defendants to share resident contact details, emphasizing that class counsel would safeguard this information per legal standards.

Total Award and Costs:
No final award was specified in favor of the plaintiff as the judgment focused on approving the Notice Program and cost distribution, with defendants collectively responsible for costs associated with notifying class members.