As of today, a Statement of Claim has been filed in the name of the Alberta Pine Shake Homeowners Association, as a representative action, against the Province of Alberta. The damages being claimed at this point in time amount to $300 million dollars.

APSHA President, Fred Holtslag, stated that - "Our government has forced us into taking this action. We attempted to negotiate with them in good faith, but they refused to accept any responsibility for the problem. Our review of literally thousands of documents obtained under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIP) indicates to us that the government of the day was negligent in the performance of their duties in this regard."

Approximately 30,000 homeowners are suffering or will suffer the financial hardships associated with the premature replacement of their rotting pine shake rooftops. The untreated pine shakes were given a 25 year warranty by some manufacturers. However, a government official who worked extensively on getting these shakes into the Alberta Building Code has let it slip that "they never expected them to last more than seven or eight years" (Bruce Allen, in Edmonton Journal interview printed July 13, 1998).

Holtslag expressed concern about what he calls the "flawed process" whereby materials are allowed into the building code without substantial testing, and consumers are being left high and dry by the present system. In order to protect all consumers from similar problems, he strongly suggested that -

Homeowners are advised to seek out the APSHA web site at: www.picture-this-graphics.com/apsha

for additional details and a Membership Form.