Court Of Appeal Summaries (November 7, 2022 ' November 11, 2022)

• Published date: 15 November 2022
• Subject Matter: Finance and Banking, Corporate/Commercial Law, Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration, Real Estate and Construction, Charges, Mortgages, Indemnities, Financial Services, Corporate and Company Law, Contracts and Commercial Law, Arbitration & Dispute Resolution, Trials & Appeals & Compensation, Construction & Planning, Real Estate, Civil Law
• Law Firm: Blaney McMurtry LLP
• Author: Mr John Polyzogopoulos and Ines Ferreira

Good afternoon.

Following are this week's summaries of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of November 7, 2022.

In Mensula Bancorp Inc. v. Halton Condominium Corporation No. 137, the Court found the application judge erred in setting aside the award of an arbitrator that interpreted a condo declaration. As the arbitrator clearly engaged in interpretation of the declaration, which was within the authority conferred upon him, whether he did so incorrectly or unreasonably, the decision as to the interpretation was for him to make. Accordingly, there was no basis to set aside the award under ss. 46(1)3 of the Arbitration Act, 1991, which only permits a court to set aside an arbitral award if it deals with a dispute not covered by the arbitral agreement or is a decision that goes beyond the scope of the agreement. Even an erroneous interpretation of an agreement does not take an arbitral award beyond the scope of an arbitral agreement.

In Scott, Pichelli & Easter Limited v. Dupont Developments Ltd, the Court confirmed that the priority of a pre-existing registered mortgage over a construction lien claim by virtue of subsection 78(3) of the Construction Act applies to both the mortgage principal, as well as any interest or related charges.

Other topics included damages in a failed real estate deal, interpreting a solicitor-client retainer agreement and damages for malicious prosecution.

Have a nice weekend,

John Polyzogopoulos
Blaney McMurtry LLP
416.593.2953 Email

Ines Ferreira
Blaney McMurtry LLP
416.593.2953 Email

Table of Contents

Civil Decisions

Scott, Pichelli & Easter Limited v. Dupont Developments Ltd., 2022 ONCA 757

Keywords: Construction Law, Construction Liens, Mortgages, Priority, Interest, Statutory Interpretation, Construction Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.30, s. 78, Construction Lien Amendment Act, S.O. 2017, c. 24, Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65, XDG Ltd. v. 1099606 Ontario Ltd. (2002), 41 C.B.R. (4th) 294 (Ont. S.C.), M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. v. Rideau Carleton Raceway Holdings Ltd., [1971] S.C.R. 2, Re Jade-Kennedy Development Corp., 2016 ONSC 7125, 830889 Ontario Inc. v. 607643 Ontario Inc. (1990), 43 C.L.R. 181 (Ont. Gen. Div.), Harvey J. Kirsh & Matthew R. Alter, A Guide to Construction Liens in Ontario, 3rd ed. (Toronto: LexisNexis Canada, 2011), Halsbury's Laws of Canada, "Real Property", (Toronto: LexisNexis Canada, 2021 Reissue), Report of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee on the Draft Construction Lien Act (Toronto: Ministry of the Attorney General, April 1982)

Arista Homes (Richmond Hill) Inc. v. Rahnama, 2022 ONCA 759

Keywords: Contracts, Real Property, Agreements of Purchase and Sale of Land, Agency, Breach of Contract, Repudiation, Damages, Interest, Mitigation, Civil Procedure, Expert Evidence, 642947 Ontario Ltd. v. Fleischer (2001), 56 O.R. (3d) 417 (C.A.), 100 Main Street Ltd. v. W.B. Sullivan Construction Ltd. (1978), 20 O.R. (2d) 401 (C.A.), Marshall v. Meirik, 2021 ONSC 1687, aff'd 2022 ONCA 275

Mensula Bancorp Inc. v. Halton Condominium Corporation No. 137, 2022 ONCA 769

Keywords: Real Property, Condominiums, Contracts, Interpretation, Arbitration Agreements, Civil Procedure, Arbitrations, Awards, Setting Aside, Arbitration Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, c. 17, s. 46(1)3, Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 19, Alectra Utilities Corporation v. Solar Power Network Inc., 2019 ONCA 254, Sattva Capital Corp v. Creston Moly Corp., 2014 SCC 53, Ventas, Inc. v. Sunrise Senior Living Real Estate Investment Trust, 2007 ONCA 205

Short Civil Decisions

Dorsey v. Canada (Attorney General), 2022 ONCA 762

Keywords:Civil Procedure, Intervener, Rules of Civil Procedure, r. 13, North American Financial Group Inc. v Ontario (Securities Commission), 2017 ONSC 2965, Hearn v. McLeod Estate, 2019 ONCA 682

Bangash v. Patel, 2022 ONCA 763

Keywords: Torts, Defamation, Civil Procedure, Anti-SLAPP, Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43., s. 137.1, Libel and Slander Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.12, s. 5(1), 1704604 Ontario Ltd. v. Pointes Protection Association, 2020 SCC 22

MBM Intellectual Property Law LLP v. Drizen, 2022 ONCA 766

Keywords: Contracts, Solicitor and Client, Retainer Agreement, Rules of Civil Procedure, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 194, r. 14.05(3)(d)

Okafor v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2022 ONCA 770

Keywords: Torts, Malicious Prosecution, Damages, Civil Procedure, Summary Judgment, R. v. Okafor, 2009 ONCA 672

CIVIL DECISIONS

Scott, Pichelli & Easter Limited v. Dupont Developments Ltd., 2022 ONCA 757

[Lauwers, Roberts and Trotter JJ.A.]

COUNSEL:

A. Conte and I. Isakovitch, for the appellants

M.A. Handler and E. Evangelista, for the respondents

Keywords:Construction Law, Construction Liens, Mortgages, Priority, Interest, Statutory Interpretation, Construction Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.30, s. 78, Construction Lien Amendment Act, S.O. 2017, c. 24, Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65, XDG Ltd. v. 1099606 Ontario Ltd. (2002), 41 C.B.R. (4th) 294 (Ont. S.C.), M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. v. Rideau Carleton Raceway Holdings Ltd., [1971] S.C.R. 2, Re Jade-Kennedy Development Corp., 2016 ONSC 7125, 830889 Ontario Inc. v. 607643 Ontario Inc. (1990), 43 C.L.R. 181 (Ont. Gen. Div.), Harvey J. Kirsh & Matthew R. Alter, A Guide to Construction Liens in...