The provincial government wants to seize the famous Filberg House.
It’s one of ten properties across Vancouver Island named in a civil forfeiture case, allegedly as the proceeds of crime. Namely from the illegal sale of cannabis and magic mushrooms dating back more than a decade.
Five properties, including the Filberg House, are located in the Comox Valley.
The 2,500-square-foot house sits on a 7-acre property above Goose Spit in Comox. It was designed and built in 1959 by Arthur Erickson for his friend Robert Filberg, son of the logging baron Bob Filberg.
It was one of Erickson’s early house designs. Its clean lines, oversized windows, and detailed finishing make it a Canadian post-modern architectural masterpiece. In a 1961 edition of Canadian Homes, it was called “Canada’s Most Fabulous House.”
Erickson went on to achieve national and international acclaim. His designs include Robson Square, Simon Fraser University, and the UBC Museum of Anthropology, among many other projects.
The famed Filberg House is now in the government’s crosshairs, caught up in an organized crime investigation. The house is valued at $2,125,000 and is registered to a numbered company based in Courtenay.
In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, the director of civil forfeiture names four Island residents and four companies linked to them. One of the numbered companies, 1165860 BC Ltd., is listed as the owner of the Filberg House.
According to court documents, Dianna Bridge and Melanie Durupt faced a previous civil forfeiture case in 2018 for illegal cannabis.
The latest claim alleges that both women are directors of MOTA Green Meds, a company that “has been producing, distributing and selling illicit cannabis, cannabis derivatives, and various other products containing cannabis,” since December 2011.
The ten properties are worth an estimated $15 million.
The government wants them all, alleging in the claim they are the “proceeds and of unlawful activity,” including possession for the purposes of trafficking, money laundering, and failure to declare income tax, among other claims.
None of the defendants currently face any criminal charges in connection with the allegations. They have yet to file a response to the province’s claims.
