BC appeal leaves neighbouring building liable after brick veneer collapse
A B.C. appeal about adjoining heritage buildings shows how maintenance duties, expert evidence and contributory negligence shape liability.
Two old buildings can share a narrow space between their walls without sharing the same legal responsibilities. That distinction became important after brick veneer from a Vancouver building collapsed onto its neighbour.
In Philippine Women Centre of B.C. v Ming Sun Benevolent Society, 2026 BCCA 403, the dispute concerned adjacent buildings on Powell Street. Water had entered the space between them through deteriorated valley flashing associated with the roof of the neighbouring building. The trial judge accepted expert evidence that the water damaged connections and contributed to the collapse of the veneer on the Ming Sun building.
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