Ontario Court Of Appeal Confirms Court May Render An Arbitration Clause Invalid In Order To Protect The Weaker Contracting Party

Canadian Courts have consistently held that arbitration clauses are to be given a large and liberal interpretation. Underpinning this interpretive approach is the policy of encouraging arbitration and minimizing judicial interference in the arbitration process. This policy is embodied in Alberta's Arbitration Act,1 which directs the Court to not intervene in the arbitration process2 and establishes a presumptive stay of Court proceedings in favour of arbitration.3

Despite the strong policy in favour of arbitration, Courts may still set aside an arbitration clause in the interests of fairness and justice via the doctrine of unconscionability, as illustrated in the recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision of Heller v Uber Technologies Inc.4 There, the Court held that a universal arbitration clause that imposed significant barriers on the weaker contracting party was unconscionable and therefore invalid.

The Heller case arose in the context of a proposed class action brought by the appellant UberEATS driver (the "Appellant") on behalf of individuals who had provided food delivery services and/or personal transportation services through the Uber Apps (the "Drivers"). In his proposed class action, the Appellant sought a declaration that the Drivers were employees of Uber and were therefore entitled to the minimum benefits and protections provided for under the Employment Standards Act (the "ESA").5 The Appellant further sought declarations that Uber violated provisions of the ESA and that the arbitration provisions in the service agreements entered into between Uber and the Drivers were void and unenforceable. Finally, the Appellant sought damages of $400 million.

The Appellant entered into a Driver services agreement and an UberEATS services agreement with Uber (the "Agreements"). The Agreements contained an identical arbitration clause which provided that arbitration must be held in Amsterdam, under the law of the Netherlands and must be conducted in accordance with International Chamber of Commerce rules (the "Arbitration Clause").

Uber brought an application to stay the Appellant's action in favour of arbitration. In granting Uber's stay application, the motion Judge held that Courts must enforce arbitration agreements freely entered into, even in standard form contracts. There were two issues on appeal: (1) whether the Arbitration Clause amounted to an illegal contracting out of the ESA, and (2) whether the Arbitration Clause was...