Court Of Appeal Summaries (January 27 – January 31, 2020)

Good evening.

Following are this week's summaries of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The theme of the week was real property and condominiums.

In York Region Standard Condominium Corporation No. 1206 v. 520 Steeles Developments Inc., 2020 ONCA 63, the Court took the rare step of overruling itself. In this case, the prior precedent that was overruled was the Court's decision in York Condominium Corp. No. 46 v. Medhurst, Hogg & Associates Ltd. et al. (1983), 41 O.R. (2d) 800 (C.A.). That decision concerned the central issue in the present case: does a condominium corporation's failure to comply with the notice provision in s. 23(2) of the Condominium Act, 1998 render an action commenced by the coproration a nullity? The court concluded that the decision in Medhurst has been attenuated by subsequent Supreme Court of Canada jurisprudence. It has also generated unnecessarily harsh effects which were inconsistent with the purpose of the notice provision pursuant to the principles of modern statutory interpretation. Accordingly, the prior precedent was overruled by a five-member panel of the Court.Other topics covered this week included the oppression remedy under the Condominium Act and special assessments, adverse possession of an outhouse, powers of attorney, material misrepresentation of immigration status in respect of life insurance, mortgages, exclusion and arbitration clauses, burden of proof in the standard of care in negligence, life interests in real property, relief from forfeiture of deposits and service of process.

Please join me and Lea Nebel at our "Top Appeals of 2019" CLE (registration is now open at the OBA's website), dinner program to take place at the OBA on Thursday, February 27, 2020. Three decisions will be featured. The first is Darmar Farms v Sygenta, which deals with the potential new tort of "premature commercialization" and pure economic loss in product liability context. The second is The Guarantee Company of North America v Royal Bank of Canada regarding the priority of construction trust claims in bankruptcy. The third is Wright v Urbanek, which deals with the scope of the doctrines of abuse of process and collateral attack.

Table of Contents

Civil Decisions

Armstrong v. Moore, 2020 ONCA 49

Keywords: Real Property, Adverse Possession, Torts, Negligence, Spoliation, Damages, Mitigation, Punitive Damages, Real Property Limitations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c L 15, s.4, Barbour v Bailey, 2016 ONCA 98, Housen v. Nikolaisen, 2002 SCC 33, Bison Realty Ltd. v. Athersych (1998), 19 RPR (3d) 48, TMS Lighting Ltd. v. KJS Transport Inc., 2014 ONCA 1, Whiten v. Pilot Insurance Co., 2002 SCC 18

Noguera v. Muskoka Condominium Corporation No. 22, 2020 ONCA 46

Keywords: Real Property, Condominiums, Oppression, Condominium Act, 1998, SO 1998, c 19, s 32, s40, s 98, s 135, BCE Inc v 1976 Debentureholders, 2008 SCC 69

Boodoo v. Merrick, 2020 ONCA 52

Keywords: Civil Procedure, Service of Documents, Motions, Chiarelli v. Wiens, (2000), 46 O.R. (3d) 780

Hydro Hawkesbury v. ABB Inc., 2020 ONCA 53

Keywords: Contracts, Arbitration Agreements, Exclusion Clauses, Consequential Damages, Civil Procedure, Crossclaims, Tilden Rent-a-Car Co. v. Clendenning (1978), 18 OR (2d) 601 (CA)

Royal Canadian Mortgage Investment Corporation v. 1835923 Ontario Ltd., 2020 ONCA 55

Keywords: Contracts, Real Property, Mortgages, Civil Procedure, Appeals in Writing

Lewis v. Lewis, 2020 ONCA 56

Keywords: Wills and Estates, Substitute Decisions, Powers of Attorney, Attorneys for Property, Passing of Accounts, Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. 30, Groh v. Steele, 2017 ONSC 3625, Dzelme v. Dzelme, 2018 ONCA 1018

Mohammad v. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company, 2020 ONCA 57

Keywords: Contracts, Life Insurance, Rescission, Material Misrepresentation, Summary Judgment, Insurance Act, RSO 1990, c I8 s 184(2), Sagl v. Chubb Insurance Company of Canada, 2009 ONCA 388, Carter v. Boehm (1766), 3 Burr. 1905 (Eng. K.B.)

1552443 Ontario Inc. v. Nipissing Vacant Land Condominium Corporation No. 41, 2020 ONCA 74

Keywords: Real Property, Condominiums, Special Assessments

Aylward v. Rebuild Response Group Inc., 2020 ONCA 62

Keywords: Contracts, Construction, Deposits, Relief from Forfeiture, Courts of Justice Act, RSO 1990, c C43, s 98, Redstone Enterprises Ltd. v. Simple Technology Inc., 2017 ONCA 282

Donaldson v. Braybrook, 2020 ONCA 66

Keywords: Wills and Estates, Property Law, Real Property, Joint Tenancy, Life Interests, , Unjust Enrichment, Presumption of Resulting Trust, Pecore v. Pecore, 2007 SCC 17, Pecore v. Pecore (2005), 17 R.F.L. (6th) 261 (Ont. C.A.)

Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation No. 1100 v. A. & G. Shanks Plumbing & Heating Limited, 2020 ONCA 67

Keywords: Torts, Negligence, Standard of Care, Evidence, Burden of Proof, Expert Evidence, Circumstantial Evidence, Causation, Fontaine v British Columbia (Official Administrator), [1998] 1 SCR 424, 495793 Ontario Ltd. (Central Auto Parts) v. Barclay, 2016 ONCA 656

York Region Standard Condominium Corporation No. 1206 v. 520 Steeles Developments Inc., 2020 ONCA 63

Keywords: Real Property, Condominiums, Civil Procedure, Originating Process, Notice, Stare Decisis, Statutory Interpretation, Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 19, Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 14, York Condominium Corp. No. 46 v. Medhurst, Hogg & Associates Ltd. et al. (1983), 41 O.R. (2d) 800 (C.A.), Rizzo & Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Re), [1998] 1 S.C.R. 27, Blueberry River Indian Band v. Canada (Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development), [1995] 4 S.C.R. 344, David Polowin Real Estate Ltd. v. Dominion of Canada General Insurance Co. (2005), 76 O.R. (3d) 161 (C.A.), leave to appeal ref'd, [2005] S.C.C.A. No. 388-95

Short Civil Decisions

Gilby v. Rowbotham, 2020 ONCA 51

Keywords: Contracts, Real Property, Mortgages, Civil Procedure, Summary Judgment

Criminal Decisions

R. v. B.D., 2020 ONCA 50 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sexual Assault, Right to Counsel, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 10(b)

R. v. G.D., 2020 ONCA 48 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference, R. v. W.(D.), [1991] 1 S.C.R. 742

R. v. S.G., 2020 ONCA 42

Keywords: Criminal Law, Drug Offences, Right to Counsel, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 10(b), 24(2), R. v. G.T.D., 2018 SCC 7, R. v. Plaha (2004), 188 C.C.C. (3d) 289 (ONCA), R. v. Grant, 2009 SCC 32

R. v. A.V., 2020 ONCA 58 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sexual Interference, Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Assault, Evidence, Admissibility, Prior Consistent Statements R. v. W.(D.), [1991] 1 S.C.R. 742, R. v. Dinardo, 2008 SCC 24

R. v. C.G., 2020 ONCA 60

Keywords: Criminal Law, Criminal Negligence Causing Death, Criminal Negligence Causing Bodily Harm, Dangerous Driving, Defences, Automatism, R. v. Hundal, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 867, R. v. Beatty, 2008 SCC 5, R. v. Creighton, [1993] 3 S.C.R. 3

R. v. R.T., 2020 ONCA 47

Keywords: Criminal Law, Impaired Driving, Refusal to Comply, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, s. 10(b), Criminal Code, s. 253(1)(a), 254(3.1), 254(3.4)(a), 254(5), R. v. Sinclair, 2010 SCC 35

R. v. H.A., 2020 ONCA 65

Keywords: Criminal Law, Motion for Directions, Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, S.C. 2001, c. 27, s. 36(1)(a)

R. v. H.H., 2020 ONCA 59 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Criminal Harassment, Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference, Evidence, Admissibility, Criminal Code, s. 686(1)(a)(i), R. v. Savoury (2015), 200 C.C.C. (3d) 94 (ONCA), R. v. Jack, 2013 ONCA 80

R. v. H.L., 2020 ONCA 70

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sentencing, R. v. Lacasse, 2015 SCC 64

R. v. M.S., 2020 ONCA 61 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Trafficking in Persons, Theft, Jury Charge, Sentencing, Criminal Code, s. 279.01(1), 279.04(1), 601(3)(b), R. v. Gallone, 2019 ONCA 663

R. v. M.Y., 2020 ONCA 69 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Robbery, Unlawful Confinement, Breach of Recognizance, Kienapple v. R., [1975] 1 S.C.R. 729

R. v. D.L., 2020 ONCA 77 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference

R. v. P.J., 2020 ONCA 73

Keywords: Criminal Law, Second Degree Murder, Self-Defence, Evidence, Admissibility, Youth Offenders, Criminal Code, s. 231(2), 235(5)(e), 745.1(c), Youth Criminal Justice Act, S.C. 2002, c. 1, s. 146(2), R. v. J.(J.T.), [1990] 2 S.C.R. 755, R. v. Storrey, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 241, R. v. Grant, 2009 SCC 32

R. v. M.R.M., 2020 ONCA 75 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Incest, Bail Pending Appeal, Sentencing, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Criminal Code, s. 679(1)(b), 679(4), R. v. Nur, 2015 SCC 15

R. v. C.M., 2020 ONCA 76 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sexual Assault, Evidence, Credibility

R. v. R.C.M., 2020 ONCA 78 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Child Luring, Criminal Code, s. 172.1(1)(b)

R. v. D.R., 2020 ONCA 64 (Publication Ban)

Keywords: Criminal Law, Sexual Assault, Sexual Exploitation, Evidence, Credibility, Sentencing, Criminal Code, s. 153(1), 718.1(a)

CIVIL DECISIONS

Armstrong v. Moore, 2020 ONCA 49

[Strathy C.J.O., MacPherson and Jamal JJ.A.]

Counsel:

Stuart R. Mackay, for the appellants/respondents by way of cross-appeal W.J.A. and T.J.A. Shawn J. O'Connor, for the respondent/appellant by way of cross-appeal R.W.M. Joseph W.L. Griffiths and Matthew G. T. Glass, for the respondent/appellant by way of cross-appeal H.M. and for the respondent L.M.M. No one appearing for the self-represented respondent L.C. (written submissions only) No one appearing for the respondents L.J.E. and C.E.E.

Keywords: Real Property, Adverse Possession, Torts, Negligence, Spoliation, Damages, Mitigation, Punitive Damages, Real Property Limitations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c L 15, s.4, Barbour v Bailey, 2016 ONCA 98, Housen v. Nikolaisen, 2002 SCC 33, Bison Realty Ltd. v. Athersych (1998), 19 RPR (3d) 48, TMS Lighting Ltd. v. KJS Transport Inc., 2014 ONCA 1, Whiten v. Pilot Insurance Co., 2002 SCC 18

facts:

This appeal involved claims for...