A former London, Ont., municipal worker, charged last year with arson in the wake of a blaze at River Road golf course, is seeking at least $486,000 in damages as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city, Global News has learned.
Belanger has since filed a statement of claim against the city seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit. “In the overall context of Michael’s long and unblemished career, the Defendant was not justified in dismissing Michael for cause.” The city suspended Belanger with pay after his arrest and said it would conduct an internal investigation into the matter. The results of that investigation have not been made public.to the London Free Press that Belanger was no longer an employee, but would not disclose any particulars, including whether he was fired or quit.
The statement of claim alleges that Belanger has been unable to find comparable employment since being fired by the City of London.No statement of defence had been filed by the city as of Tuesday, and officials with the municipality declined to comment when contacted by Global News.