'Fix this mess': Cambridge Bay businesses say MTS should take responsibility for mouldy, missing items

A contractor in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, burned three skids or pallets worth of flooring material in a bonfire on the weekend.

Peter Laube of Kavlik Enterprises says the flooring was "completely saturated" with mould when it was delivered by Marine Transportation Services earlier this month.

"The flooring stunk so bad."

Laubesaid hegot permission from the hamlet to burn the mouldy materials so theywouldn't get salvaged from the dump and end up in someone's home.

The flooring was among the items MTShas flown into the Nunavut communities of Cambridge Bay andKugluktuk, and Paulatuk, N.W.T.,since it cancelled its bargelast month.The barge, originally scheduled for August, was delayed until late September, then turned around by ice near Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T.

The N.W.T. government-ownedbarge company has been flying items to the communitieson a priority basis, from its storage facilities in Inuvik.

Derrick Briggs, director of MTS, said almost everything that can be flown into the communities already has been delivered. There are just two more flights this week, to Paulatuk and Kugluktuk, to bring in the last of the cargo, he said.

There are some businesses that won't see any of their materials before next year's barge and are left tobear devastating financial losses over the winter.

• N.W.T. gov't accused of prioritizing private business over communities during MTS cargo update
• 'It's devastating': Barge cancellation taking a toll on Kugluktuk business, residents

'Who's going to be responsible?'

Laube thinks the flooring got mouldy because of how MTS was storing and handling it in Inuvik.

Briggs saidMTS has found no issues on itsend.

"Our preliminary investigation indicated we have not seen any such damage to flooring," he said.

Briggs said MTS is not responsible for any damage. Briggs said it's up to the shippers to purchase insurance if they choose.

"We do not compensate shippers for damage to cargo."

Briggs said the department has not received any other formal complaints regarding damaged cargo.

He also noted that shippers areresponsible for packaging their cargo to be able to sustain exposure to the weather.

StuartRostantof Chou Consulting and Development in Cambridge Bay won't see any of the building materials for his newfour-plexcondominium until the 2019 barge season, due to the impracticality of having all it flown in.

That arrangement leaves his company to carry the costs for the project for another year, something he says is "going to be tough."

Rostant is also worriedabout what condition his goods will be in by2019, after they overwinter in Inuvik. Rostant says Chou has already lost $30,000 in items that froze, like paint and drywall mud. He hopes that can berecuperatedthrough insurance.

"Our materialis now going to be handleda few more times, so there's potential for damage," he said. "What's going to happen if all our pieces don't arrive? Who's going to be responsible for that?"

Rostantplans to askMTSforwritten confirmation that all their materials will arrive in good condition, and as soon as the route is ice-free. He's also considering making a trip to Inuvikin the springto take stock of the condition of his goods.

Briggs said some goods froze because the shipper did not declare perishable goods in the contents of the cargo. He said anything MTSwas aware of that was perishable was removed from its crates and put into warm storage.

He said everything else that didn't get flown out will be moved into covered, unheated storage for the winter.

'GNWTstep up and fix this mess!'

Laubestands in front ofnearly bare shelving units that he says areusually full of materials for making kitchen cabinets. He says theynow barely have enough materials to finish one project, let alone a winter's worth.

"We have houses that are under construction that are now at a standstill," he said.

Laube is especially frustrated because he says he hadn't gotten any response from MTS since receiving the mouldy flooring.

"They don't answer anyemails, they don't return phone calls." he said.

Laube has already penneda letter to MTS with a litany of complaints, demanding, in big bold text:"GNWTstep up and fix this mess!"

Since MTS isn't doing any more flights into Cambridge Bay, Laube will be flying materials in himself in order to fulfil contract obligations.

"We're going to take a major loss on these jobs because these jobs were all quoted out on barge costs, not on airlifting it," he said."And not on buying it twice."

Laubesays if he doesn't get an appropriate response from MTS, he's considering legal action.

"With this disaster here, it's getting out of control."

This is the second year the government's barge transportation service has run into problems. Last summer, the barge schedule changed three times and many communities received their shipments aboutfour weeks after the expected arrival date.

Briggs said MTSwill be ready for next year's barging season, "depending on safe sailing conditions," and they are planning to start earlier in the season.