Canada's top court has closed the door on compensation for business lost during construction of the Canada Line.
The Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal by Vancouver businesswoman Susan Heyes.
Cambie Street merchants including Heyes said they were badly damaged by the decision to use traffic-disrupting cut-and-cover construction rather than a more costly bored tunnel.
She initially won a $600,000 judgment against the rapid transit line builders but then was stripped of the award in the B.C. Court of Appeal.
The B.C. court found builders were authorized to use the cut-and-cover method, which allowed stations to be built closer to ground level and was faster, reducing the risk of the line failing to open for the 2010 Winter Olympics.