Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 28, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba ● LAWSUIT, CONTINUED ON B3 TUESDAY JANUARY 28, 2025 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM SECTION B CONNECT WITH WINNIPEG’S NO. 1 NEWS SOURCE ▼ CITY ● BUSINESS Libel lawsuits have become more common in internet age Dental clinic sues patient for defamation over online review A WINNIPEG dental clinic, which has a history of filing defamation lawsuits, is suing a patient who published an online review accusing its staff of misleading her about the cost of a procedure. Greenwoods Dental Centre’s suit claims her online statements caused it to “suffer injury and damage to its reputation, goodwill, business, business relationships and profitability.” The lawsuit, which was filed this month, marked at least the second time the Winnipeg-based chain of dental clinics has sued someone in relation to online remarks. It named a patient in a similar suit in 2021. Greenwoods’ latest claim stemmed from a Google review made by the de- fendant last November, in which she said she “had a terrible experience with Greenwoods Dental Centre and cannot recommend their services.” She claimed clinic staff said her in- surance would cover 80 per cent of the cost of dental services, but after they were completed she learned it would only cover around 15 per cent. It meant she had to pay $1,000 out of pocket. “As a full-time student, this finan- cial burden was overwhelming, and the lack of clear communication from their office was incredibly frustrating, unprofessional and rude,” the woman wrote in the review, a copy of which was included in the lawsuit. “Instead of working with me to re- solve the issue, they sent my account to a collection agency immediately and refused to speak with me. I was threat- ened with damage to my credit score if I didn’t pay in full immediately.” The woman said she did not sign a pre-authorization document for her in- surance, and accused the clinic of not conducting its due diligence. In its lawsuit, Greenwoods denied the woman’s version of events and said the statement is “categorically false, in- accurate and defamatory.” Clinic staff never said her insurance would cover any portion of the proced- ure, and it was her responsibility to en- sure she had the appropriate coverage, the lawsuit said. It said the defendant did complete a pre-authorization form before the work was performed. “Neither the plaintiff, nor any staff employed by the plaintiff, ‘threatened’ the defendant in any way, instead, staff… did all they could to resolve the issue before the defendant simply cut off all communication unilaterally,” the suit said. TYLER SEARLE ● DEFAMATION, CONTINUED ON B3 Sixth location to go dark since 10 were deemed at-risk last year T HE recent closure of a 7-Eleven in the Maples felt like a person- al loss to Josh Muyal, who had bought Slurpees and snacks at the store since he was a kid 20 years ago. Muyal was driving past the location at Jefferson Avenue and Sheppard Street on Jan. 24 when he noticed a sign had been removed and contract- ors were covering the windows with sheets of wood. “I asked the guys if they were reno- vating, and they said no, it’s closed,” Muyal said Monday. “It was out of left field. Driving by and seeing it all boarded up, it’s really weird. It’s un- fortunate.” The 7-Eleven is one of at least six in Winnipeg to shutter since last sum- mer, when some city council members said company officials told them 10 locations here were at risk of closing amid concerns about escalating crime and employee safety. The 7-Eleven at Salter Street and Flora Avenue in the North End also closed recently. It was one of the 10 deemed at risk of closure last year. The reason, or reasons, for the latest two closures was not explained. The company did not respond to a re- quest for comment. Both stores were no longer listed on the chain’s online map of stores Monday. The Jefferson and Sheppard outlet was less than a kilometre from a newer 7-Eleven at Sheppard and Ink- ster Boulevard. In October, Tokyo-based parent company Seven & I Holdings an- nounced it was closing 444 “underper- forming” stores in the U.S. and Can- ada. Last month, it confirmed plans to open 500 new locations in the U.S. and Canada through 2027. Earlier this month, Winnipeg May- or Scott Gillingham met with 7-Elev- en officials to discuss their concerns about retail crime and the company’s plans for restructuring and expansion in the city. “7-Eleven representatives did indi- cate there are some stores they were looking to close, but then they’re also looking at expanding,” Gillingham said. “Winnipeg is a market they are committed to. They were very clear on that, and I was glad to hear that.” Last month, the 7-Eleven at Ness Avenue and Sturgeon Road became the first in Winnipeg to sell alcohol, after it obtained a liquor licence and added a dine-in restaurant that serves chicken, pizza, hot dogs and other items. Gillingham yielded to 7-Eleven offi- cials to explain operational decisions, including to what degree any one element, such as crime, factored into store closures. “They indicated (crime) was some- thing they take very seriously. Their stores were impacted by it,” the may- or said. Four stores that closed last sum- mer or fall were at Ellice Avenue and Arlington Street, McPhillips Street and Selkirk Avenue, McPhillips and Mountain Avenue, and Pembina High- way near Point Road. Those closures took place after city councillors Ross Eadie (Mynar- ski) and Vivian Santos (Point Doug- las) said in August they had learned 7-Eleven was considering shutting up to 10 of its locations in Winnipeg. The councillors said they met with company officials around that time to discuss how to combat a surge in theft in a bid to avoid the closures. Eadie has said he and Santos were told one store had $300,000 in goods stolen in a short period, with thieves taking “whole shelves of goods” at one time. In some core neighbourhoods, 7-Eleven is the only place to buy milk, bread or other goods late at night, he noted at the time. Retail crime has become such a problem that the Manitoba govern- ment recently made permanent an an- ti-theft program that is focused on the Exchange District, Osborne Village and the West End in Winnipeg. A summit was held in October to discuss how to tackle shoplifting and underlying causes, including drug ad- diction and poverty. Winnipeg has repeatedly been dubbed the “Slurpee capital of the world” due to strong sales of the fro- zen drinks. Muyal, who helped the city win that title, said his thoughts turned to staff when he found out the Jefferson and Sheppard was closed. One of the em- ployees had worked at the location since Muyal was a child. They got to know each other well enough that she asked how his family was doing whenever he stopped by to get a drink or snacks. “It was a staple in the community,” Muyal said about the store. The store is in Coun. Devi Sharma’s ward of Old Kildonan. She was un- aware of the reason for the closure, but noted there is a newer 7-Eleven nearby. Sharma recalled regular visits with friends when they were students at nearby Maples Collegiate. “It’s definitely a store that commun- ity has enjoyed over the years,” she said. chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca CHRIS KITCHING Lights out at two more 7-Elevens PHOTOS BY JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Josh Muyal says the closure of a 7-Eleven he’s visited since childhood — at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Sheppard Street — is ‘unfortunate.’ The shuttered 7-Eleven on Salter Street and Flora Avenue is one of six closures in the city. Insulation supplier sued over Concert Hall reno THE Centennial Concert Hall under- went a $12.5-million renovation that was supposed to extend the life of the iconic Main Street structure for 75 years. Instead, the project, which required the removal and reinstallation of the Tyndall stone cladding, has become the subject of a lawsuit. The Manitoba Centennial Centre Corp., Bockstael Construction and Advanced Insulation are suing On- tario-based Elastochem Specialty Chemicals. In a statement of claim filed in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench, they allege spray foam insulation used for the renovation was defective and $3 million in repairs are required. “The damage to the building (was) predictably and foreseeably caused by the negligent manufacture and dis- tribution of the defective (spray foam) product supplied by Elastochem,” says the lawsuit. “It meant the building would have less than the designed minimum 75- year life span and that substantial and extremely expensive remedial work was required.” The plaintiffs are seeking damages as well as legal costs. An Elastochem spokesperson could not be reached for comment. Rob Olson, CEO of the MCCC, said he didn’t know a lawsuit had been launched. “We know nothing about this,” said Olson, adding the provincial govern- ment may have launched the lawsuit. “It was a Province of Manitoba project and it was assigned to a proper bid pro- cess.” Olson said the insulation was added to the exterior during renovations that required the Tyndall stone cladding to be removed and reinstalled on new an- chors to hold it in place. “It was the same as the old (Canada) post office,” he said, referring to the building which now houses the head- quarters of the Winnipeg Police Ser- vice, and which had its Tyndall stone interior removed and replaced with dif- ferent cladding. “The Tyndall stone was put back on modern anchors.” The Manitoba government an- nounced in March 2021 that a tender had been awarded for the renovation project. KEVIN ROLLASON RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS The ‘eyelid windows’ facing Main Street are an integral part of the Concert Hall’s design. ;