CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On May 27, 2026, Residents of Hazelbrook, Prince Edward Island commenced a legal action against the Government of Prince Edward Island alleging that longstanding failures in the regulation, monitoring, and remediation of a former Construction and Disposal site in Hazelbrook PEI along the TransCanada Highway resulted in dangerous PFAS contamination affecting private lands, groundwater, and drinking water supplies.
The Statement of Claim, filed in the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island, was brought by Douglas Jenkins, Roberta Jenkins, and their daughter against the Province of Prince Edward Island as represented by the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action and the Attorney General.
Jenkins Farm
The Jenkins family have relied on the land and groundwater of Hazelbrook for generations. The lawsuit alleges that PFAS contamination from the nearby C&D site has now compromised both.
PFAS Contamination
The lawsuit alleges that PFAS, also commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and human body, migrated from the former Hazelbrook C&D disposal site into surrounding groundwater and onto the plaintiffs’ property. The plaintiffs allege that the contamination has caused harm to their health, property, and quality of life.
According to the claim, the plaintiffs were advised in January 2025 to stop using their well water after the Province’s testing revealed PFAS concentrations substantially exceeding Health Canada drinking water objectives. The lawsuit further alleges that blood testing conducted on members of the Jenkins family revealed PFAS levels vastly higher than thresholds associated in scientific literature with increased risk of adverse health effects, including one reported level exceeding 113 ng/mL or more than 5 times acceptable levels.
The action seeks damages for alleged personal injury, medical monitoring costs, psychological distress, contamination of land and groundwater, diminution in property value, and ongoing remediation expenses. The plaintiffs also seek injunctive relief requiring further environmental remediation and groundwater protection measures.
In addition to claims grounded in negligence, nuisance, trespass, and strict liability, the lawsuit alleges breaches of section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, asserting that the Province’s conduct deprived the plaintiffs of security of the person through exposure to toxic substances and prolonged uncertainty regarding health consequences.
“The allegations in this claim arise from the Province’s lack of environmental oversight, groundwater protection, and the responsibilities owed to Islanders and particularly those residents who rely on private wells for drinking water. These environmental concerns had been brought to the attention of the Province for decades and yet very little, if anything, was done to protect the very people who raised these concerns,” said counsel for the plaintiffs, Andrew Kirk of Phillips Barristers PC.
The allegations contained in the Statement of Claim have not yet been proven in court. The Province has not yet filed a Statement of Defence.
Media Contact:
Andrew Kirk
Phillips Barristers PC
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
andrew@phillipsbarristers.ca
902-719-7247
A PDF copy of the Hazelbrook Residents’ Statement of Claim is available at http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5fd7927f-8523-47e9-b7dd-508b032c8cee
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/428ee39a-d2b0-4398-85c5-41b9c9d94c10
