Boston Pizza International Inc. et al. v. Boston Market Corp. et al., (2003) 238 F.T.R. 1 (FC)

• Judge: Tremblay-Lamer, J.
• Court: Federal Court (Canada)
• Case Date: July 08, 2003
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (2003), 238 F.T.R. 1 (FC);2003 FC 892

Boston Pizza Intl. v. Boston Market (2003), 238 F.T.R. 1 (FC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2003] F.T.R. TBEd. SE.003

Boston Pizza International Inc. and Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership (plaintiffs) v. Boston Market Corporation, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited, Boston Market Canada Company and Global Restaurant Operations of Ireland Limited (defendants)

(T-1319-02; 2003 FC 892)

Indexed As: Boston Pizza International Inc. et al. v. Boston Market Corp. et al.

Federal Court

Tremblay-Lamer, J.

July 17, 2003.

Summary:

The plaintiffs sued the defendants for infringement of the trademark "Boston Pizza", depreciation of goodwill, and passing off in violation of the Trade-Marks Act. The defendants used the brand name "Boston Market". The defendants filed a statement of defence and counterclaim. In the counterclaim, they sought an order expunging the registrations of the Boston Pizza trade-marks on the grounds that the marks were not distinctive and were not registrable as they were, and continue to be, descriptive of a style of pizza that was associated with the city of Boston, Massachusetts. The plaintiffs brought a motion for summary judgment to dismiss the counterclaim.

The Federal Court allowed the motion in part. The counterclaim was dismissed respecting the plaintiffs' trade-marks BP & Design, BP's Lounge and BP's Bistro. There was a genuine issue for trial respecting the trademarks Boston Pizza, Boston's The Gourmet Pizza, and Boston Pizza Quick Express.

Trademarks, Names and Designs - Topic 889.1

Trademarks - Registration - Expungement of mark - Grounds - Loss of distinctiveness - Non-distinctiveness - The plaintiffs sued the defendants for, inter alia, infringement of the trademark "Boston Pizza" - They used the brand name "Boston Market" - The defendants filed a statement of defence and counterclaim - In the counterclaim, they sought an order expunging the registration of the following Boston Pizza trade-marks: Boston Pizza, BP & Design, BP's Lounge, BP's Bistro, Boston's The Gourmet Pizza and Boston Pizza Quick Express - They argued that numerous third party trade-marks and trade names used in Canada which include the word "Boston" had rendered the Boston Pizza trade-marks non-distinctive - The Federal Court dismissed the counterclaim respecting the trade-marks BP & Design, BP's Lounge and BP's Bistro as they were distinctive and did not use the word "Boston" - The court held that there was a genuine issue for trial respecting the distinctiveness of the other trademarks - See paragraphs 14 to 28.

Trademarks, Names and Designs - Topic 3002

Trademarks - Infringement actions - Limitation period - The plaintiffs sued the defendants for, inter alia, infringement of the trademark "Boston Pizza" - The defendants used the brand name "Boston Market" - They filed a statement of defence and counterclaim - In the counterclaim, they sought an order expunging the registration of several Boston Pizza trade-marks on the basis that they were non-distinctive - The plaintiffs argued that the counterclaim was barred as the claim was made outside the six year limitation provided in s. 39(2) of the Federal Court Act - The Federal Court held that a limitation period was not applicable to the institution of proceedings to expunge a trademark - See paragraphs 49 to 53.

Cases Noticed:

Granville Shipping Co. v. Pegasus Lines Ltd. S.A. et al., [1996] 2 F.C. 853; 111 F.T.R. 189 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 13].

Consorzio Del Prosciutto Di Parma v. Maple Leaf Meats Inc., [2001] 2 F.C. 536; 205 F.T.R. 176 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Morris (Phillip) Inc. v. Imperial Tobacco Ltd. (1985), 7 C.P.R.(3d) 254 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 16].

Apotex Inc. v. Merck & Co. et al., [2003] 1 F.C. 242; 291 N.R. 96 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

Boston Pizza International Inc. v. Boston Chicken Inc. (2001), 211 F.T.R. 106; 15 C.P.R.(4th) 345 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 31].

Boston Pizza International Inc. v. Boston Chicken Inc. (2003), 301 N.R. 190 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

Oshawa Group Ltd. v. Registrar of Trademarks, [1981] 2 F.C. 18 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 36].

Drackett Co. of Canada Ltd. v. America Home Products Corp. (1968), 55 C.P.R. 29 (Ex. Ct.), refd to. [para. 36].

Wool Bureau of Canada Ltd. v. Registrar of Trademarks (1978), 40 C.P.R.(2d) 25 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 36].

White Consolidated Industries Inc. v. Beam of Canada Inc. (1991), 47 F.T.R. 172; 39 C.P.R.(3d) 94 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 43].

Archbold v. Scully (1861), 9 H.L.C. 360, refd to. [para. 43].

Carling O'Keefe Breweries of Canada Ltd. v. Anheuser-Busch Inc. (1986), 68 N.R. 226 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 44].

Institut national des appellations d'origine des vins et eaux-de-vie v. Andres Wines Ltd. (1987), 16 C.P.R.(3d) 385 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 45].

Pepsi-Cola Co. of Canada Ltd. v. Coca-Cola Co. of Canada Ltd., [1940] S.C.R. 17, refd to. [para. 52].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Fox, Harold G., The Canadian Law of Trademarks and Unfair Competition (4th Ed. 2002), p. 11-59 [para. 51].

Counsel:

Gregory N. Harney and Andrew Morrison, for the plaintiffs;

Glen A. Bloom, for the defendants.

Solicitors of Record:

Shields Harney, Vancouver, British Columbia, for the plaintiffs;

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Ottawa, Ontario, for the defendants.

This motion was heard at Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 8, 2003, before Tremblay-Lamer, J., of the Federal Court, who delivered the following judgment on July 17, 2003.