It can be difficult for litigants and the Courts to figure out the complex relationship between the standard of care analysis and the nature of the injury or damage suffered by the plaintiff. There is no duty to “Be Perfect”: the standard of care analysis does not impose an absolute duty of perfection.[1] In cases of … Continued
Sections 3(1) and 4(1) of the Occupiers’ Liability Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.2 (“OLA”) import duties on occupiers to take some care to see that patrons are safe while on the premises. The duty is not absolute. In the case where s. 3(1) applies, the risk must be foreseeable by the “reasonable” system in place.[1] Under … Continued
Motor vehicle accident claims involve complex contractual and regulatory issues and may generate exposure for multiple insurance policies in certain circumstances. Ontario courts have held that automobile insurance policies form part of an “integral social safety net”[1] designed for consumer protection and guaranteed compensation for victims.[2] However, recent decisions from the Ontario Court of Appeal affirm that … Continued
The novel coronavirus causing the COVID-19 infection is likely to impact insurers in several ways. In addition to an anticipated decrease in premium collection due to cancellation of policies, and a probable shrinking of investment returns, it is anticipated that there will be numerous claims that arise from the pandemic, including business interruption claims. The … Continued
In the recently released decision, Stirrett v. Cheema, 2020 ONCA 288, the Court of Appeal opined on the role causation plays in awarding damages for a breach of fiduciary duty. The Court held that the trial judge had erred in awarding compensation for a breach of fiduciary duty when causation had not been proven. The Court … Continued
In two recent decisions, the SCC has re-written the standard of review to be applied by courts when hearing appeals of administrative decisions. In Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65, a Canadian born child of two Russian spies, was initially stripped of his citizenship by the Canadian Registrar of Citizenship. That … Continued
In advance of 2020, Ontario litigators saw changes on the horizon when, on October 23, 2019, the Ontario Government announced significant amendments, effective January 1, 2020, to Ontario’s Rules of Civil Procedure. In particular, the changes were to rule 76 governing actions commenced under simplified procedure. The purpose of the changes is to make civil litigation … Continued
Introduction Over the last several years the Ontario Court of Appeal has come out with several strongly worded decisions against providing partial summary judgment. Despite this, litigants continue to bring these motions, and thus far in 2019 are receiving a reasonable degree of success when proceeding under the right circumstances. This paper will review the … Continued
