Canadian Appeals Monitor Information and Commentary on Upcoming and Recent Appeal Court Decisions

Tag Archives: British Columbia Court of Appeal

The Second Opinion: Can You Get Your Money Back? The B.C. Court of Appeal Addresses The Forfeiture of Deposits (Again)

By Hovsep Afarian on Posted in The Second Opinion

Can a party who has failed to consummate a transaction get back a “deposit”?  The British Columbia Court of Appeal considered this issue once again in the recent case of Amiri v. One West Holdings Ltd., 2013 BCCA 155. The facts of the Amiri decision were as follows.  A businessman (“Purchaser”) purchased, in 2005, a… → Read More

The Second Opinion: Appellate Court Applies Provincial Consumer Protection Laws in a Class Proceeding Against a Federally-Regulated Company

A Commentary on Recent Legal Developments by the Opinions Group of McCarthy Tétrault LLP

By Hovsep Afarian on Posted in Class Actions, The Second Opinion

In a recent decision of great importance to federally-regulated entities such as banks, airlines and navigation and shipping companies, the B.C. Court of Appeal ruled that a provincial consumer protection statute applies to airlines:  Unlu v. Lufthansa et al, 2013 BCCA 112. The Unlu case involves a putative class action against various airlines alleging deceptive… → Read More

This Week at the SCC (05/04/2013)

A Commentary on Recent Legal Developments by the Opinions Group of McCarthy Tétrault LLP

By Kirsten Thompson on Posted in This Week at the SCC

This week, the Supreme Court issued two judgments of interest to Canadian businesses and professions. In Penner v. Niagara (Regional Police Services Board), 2013 SCC 19, the Court reaffirmed the test for the exercise of discretion in applying issue estoppel. In Ediger v. Johnston, 2013 SCC 18 , a medical malpractice case, the Court discussed the standard… → Read More

Consumer Class Actions: BCCA Limits Availability of “Waiver of Tort” Claims but Expands Jurisdictional Reach in Conspiracy Claims

By Laurie Baptiste on Posted in Case Comments, Class Actions, Competition, Manufacturing, Torts

Introduction The SCC recently dismissed two leave applications from important (but unrelated) decisions of the BCCA in the consumer class action realm. One decision, in a rather noteworthy step, engages in an extensive analysis of and narrows the availability of the “waiver of tort” doctrine in claims based on alleged breaches of consumer protection type… → Read More

This Week at the SCC (25/01/2013)

By Brandon Kain on Posted in This Week at the SCC

Cases Heard The Supreme Court of Canada heard arguments this week in two cases of interest to Canadian businesses and professions, and reserved judgment in each. The first is an appeal from Guay Inc. c. Payette, 2011 QCCA 2282, in which the Quebec Court of Appeal held that restrictive covenants which precluded the appellant from… → Read More

This Week at the SCC (14/12/2012)

By Brandon Kain on Posted in Aboriginal, Communications, Conflict of Laws, Health, Intellectual Property, Labour and Employment, Media, Professions, Regulatory, This Week at the SCC

Cases Decided The Supreme Court of Canada released one decision this week of interest to Canadian businesses and professions. In Reference re Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-167 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2010-168, 2012 SCC 68, Rothstein J. for the majority of the Court held that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (“CRTC”) lacked the jurisdiction to… → Read More

Round and Round We Go: BCCA Declines Opportunity to Shape Leave Test in Secondary Market Class Actions

By Elder C. Marques and Helen Burnett on Posted in Case Comments, Class Actions, Corporate Law, Procedure, Securities, Torts

In a decision released this month, the British Columbia Court of Appeal has declined to enter the national fray on the question of how courts should interpret statutory leave requirements adopted throughout Canada in recent securities legislation amendments.  These leave requirements impose a preliminary hurdle for plaintiffs seeking to advance statutory secondary market class action… → Read More

BCCA Addresses Tercon Test for Public Policy and Exemption Clauses

By Brandon Kain on Posted in Case Comments, Contracts

In its well-known decision in Tercon Contractors, the Supreme Court of Canada set out a three-part test for the enforceability of contractual exemption clauses: (1) does the clause, as a matter of interpretation, apply to the dispute; (2) if so, was the clause unconscionable at the time the contract was made; and (3) if not, would enforcing the clause be contrary to… → Read More

BCCA May Consider the Test for Leave to Commence an Action Pursuant to the New Secondary Market Liability Provisions

By Angela Juba and Nicholas Isaac on Posted in Case Comments, Financial Services, Procedure, Torts

The British Columbia Court of Appeal may soon consider the test for a purchaser or vendor in the “secondary market” to obtain leave to commence an action for misrepresentation under Part 16.1 the BC Securities Act.  Leave to appeal has been filed by the plaintiff in Round v. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.  This will… → Read More