Some flooded out residents in the High River communities of Hampton Hills and Sunrise are celebrating after a judge ruled the province must negotiate a settlement with them.
The province built berms around those communities during the June floods to protect other parts of the town and that caused them to be submerged for nearly a month.
Residents demanded compensation, but the province refused, so they took their fight to court.
“We've asked them to meet us with a third party to arbitrate the case to basically settle on what's fair compensation, what's a fair settlement. Just because we are that unique case, what happened in the Hampton Hills, you know, we're not the floodway we're not the flood fringe,“ said Greg Tymchyna, Hampton Hills resident.
The process was initiated by 18 families back in September and more are expected to join as the case progresses.
The owners are hoping to get an offer of a fair-market price buyout from the province.
The province says it respects the court's decision and is considering its next steps.
Both sides will be in court in January.
(With files from Bill Macfarlane)
