A Victoria artist is suing the provincial government and a Crown corporation over management of public space near the capital city’s harbour.

Dean Lewis filed a notice of claim May 19 in provincial small claims court seeking $25,000 for damages, costs and loss of income. The claim says the Provincial Capital Commission said “unreasonably and misrepresentatively” in 2009 that Lewis and other artists who sell their work on the causeway by the harbour could no longer rent a PCC parking space they had been using for a storage container.

“The non-renewal resulted in harm and on-going damages to seven causeway artists who used the container as a vital logistical resource in their occupation, requiring outdoor, onsite working materials, tables, umbrellas and display materials during the annual five-month tourist season,” said the notice of claim.

“One artist was forced to drop out entirely from the venue in her capacity as an artist due to her age and inability to alternatively shuttle her materials to work.”

Another artist is making a two-hour trip dragging a large display from home to the harbour and five others are bringing their materials by motor vehicle daily and having to find often expensive or distant parking, it said.

“The act of non-renewal by the Provincial Capital Commission and the rationale given are stated by the claimant to be of a misrepresentative, fraudulent nature and the result of an act of collusion by the four named defendants.”

The notice of claim also names Robbins Parking Service Ltd. and James McGregor, who last year ran a vehicle rental business that used the parking space.

None of the allegations have been heard or proven in court. The PCC is a Crown corporation that manages several publicly owned properties in the capital region.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.