Carhoun & Sons Enterprises Ltd. v. Canada (Attorney General), (2015) 370 B.C.A.C. 283 (CA)

• Judge: Kirkpatrick, Garson and MacKenzie, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: January 09, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (2015), 370 B.C.A.C. 283 (CA);2015 BCCA 163

Carhoun & Sons v. Can. (A.G.) (2015), 370 B.C.A.C. 283 (CA);

    635 W.A.C. 283

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. AP.028

Carhoun & Sons Enterprises Ltd. (respondent/plaintiff) v. The Attorney General of Canada (appellant/defendant)

(CA041961; 2015 BCCA 163)

Indexed As: Carhoun & Sons Enterprises Ltd. v. Canada (Attorney General)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Kirkpatrick, Garson and MacKenzie, JJ.A.

April 21, 2015.

Summary:

Carhoun and Sons Enterprises Ltd. planned a property development on potential fish habitat areas. It applied under s. 35(2) of the Fisheries Act for an exemption to any possible liability that might result from the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat. The exemption was eventually issued with conditions, but Carhoun asserted that it was issued so late that it suffered foreseeable economic loss. Carhoun sued the Attorney General of Canada for damages for that loss, asserting negligence and misfeasance. The Attorney General applied to strike Carhoun's statement of claim, arguing that (1) it owed no duty of care in negligence to Carhoun pursuant to s. 35(2); and (2) the pleadings failed to establish a cause of action for misfeasance in public office.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a decision reported at [2014] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1295, dismissed the application. The Attorney General appealed the dismissal, and in the alternative sought an order for further and better particulars of Calhoun's claim.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal to strike the pleadings, but ordered Calhoun to respond to the Attorney General's demand for particulars.

Crown - Topic 1563

Torts by and against Crown - Negligence by Crown - Breach of statutory duty - See paragraphs 50 to 129.

Crown - Topic 1645

Torts by and against Crown - Actions against Crown - Defences, bars or exclusions - Policies or "policy" decisions - See paragraphs 106 to 127.

Crown - Topic 1785

Torts by and against Crown - Practice - Pleadings - See paragraphs 43 to 134.

Crown - Topic 5145

Officials and employees - Liability of officials in tort - Misfeasance - See paragraphs 130 to 134.

Practice - Topic 1954

Pleadings - Particulars - Particulars in specific proceedings - Negligence action - See paragraphs 135 to 137.

Practice - Topic 1989

Pleadings - Particulars - Particulars of particular matters - Misfeasance in or abuse of public office - See paragraphs 135 to 137.

Practice - Topic 2230

Pleadings - Striking out pleadings - Grounds - Failure to disclose a cause of action or defence - See paragraphs 43 to 134.

Torts - Topic 9162

Duty of care - Particular relationships - Claims against public officials, authorities or boards - Misfeasance in or abuse of public office - See paragraphs 130 to 134.

Torts - Topic 9167

Duty of care - Particular relationships - Claims against public officials, authorities or boards - Regulators (e.g., Registrar of Mortgage Brokers, Department of Motor Vehicles, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, etc.) - See paragraphs 50 to 129.

Cases Noticed:

Hunt v. T & N plc et al., [1990] 2 S.C.R. 959; 117 N.R. 321, refd to. [para. 16].

British Columbia v. Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. et al. (2011), 419 N.R. 1; 308 B.C.A.C. 1; 521 W.A.C. 1; 2011 SCC 42, refd to. [para. 17].

Timberwolf Log Trading Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests and Lands) et al. (2013), 335 B.C.A.C. 1; 573 W.A.C. 1; 2013 BCCA 24, refd to. [para. 18].

Hryniak v. Mauldin (2014), 453 N.R. 51; 314 O.A.C. 1; 2014 SCC 7, refd to. [para. 19].

Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 817; 243 N.R. 22, refd to. [para. 20].

459381 B.C. Ltd. et al. v. Strata Plan BCS 1589, Owners (2012), 315 B.C.A.C. 237; 535 W.A.C. 237; 2012 BCCA 44, refd to. [para. 20].

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool v. Canada, [1983] 1 S.C.R. 205; 45 N.R. 425, refd to. [para. 44].

Kripps et al. v. Touche Ross & Co. et al. (1992), 15 B.C.A.C. 184; 27 W.A.C. 184; 69 B.C.L.R.(2d) 62 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 48].

Cooper v. Hobart - see Cooper v. Registrar of Mortgage Brokers (B.C.) et al.

Cooper v. Registrar of Mortgage Brokers (B.C.) et al. (2001), 277 N.R. 113; 160 B.C.A.C. 268; 261 W.A.C. 268; 2001 SCC 79, refd to. [para. 50].

Childs v. Desormeaux et al. (2006), 347 N.R. 328; 210 O.A.C. 315; 2006 SCC 18, refd to. [para. 51].

River Valley Poultry Farm Ltd. v. Canada (Attorney General) et al. (2009), 248 O.A.C. 222; 2009 ONCA 326, refd to. [para. 55].

Paradis Honey Ltd. et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) (2015), 472 N.R. 75; 2015 FCA 89, refd to. [para. 59].

Los Angeles Salad Co. et al. v. Canadian Food Inspection Agency et al. (2013), 334 B.C.A.C. 24; 572 W.A.C. 24; 2013 BCCA 34, refd to. [para. 63].

Leroux v. Canada Revenue Agency (2012), 316 B.C.A.C. 187; 537 W.A.C. 187; 2012 BCCA 63, refd to. [para. 68].

Taylor v. Canada (Attorney General) (2012), 293 O.A.C. 312; 2012 ONCA 479, refd to. [para. 68].

Leroux v. Canada Revenue Agency, [2014] B.C.T.C. Uned. 720; 2014 BCSC 720, refd to. [para. 71].

Just v. British Columbia, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 1228; 103 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 85].

Anns v. Merton London Borough Council, [1978] A.C. 728 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 91].

Hercules Management Ltd. et al. v. Ernst & Young et al., [1997] 2 S.C.R. 165; 211 N.R. 352; 115 Man.R.(2d) 241; 139 W.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 91].

TeleZone Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General) (2010), 410 N.R. 1; 273 O.A.C. 1; 2010 SCC 62, refd to. [para. 109].

Odhavji Estate et al. v. Woodhouse et al. (2003), 312 N.R. 305; 180 O.A.C. 201; 2003 SCC 69, refd to. [para. 130].

Barbour v. University of British Columbia, [2006] B.C.T.C. Uned. C54; 2006 BCSC 1897, refd to. [para. 132].

Minnes v. Minnes (1962), 39 W.W.R.(N.S.) 112 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 133].

Counsel:

M.F. Volk and O. Pulleyblank, for the appellant;

J.D. Shields, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard at Vancouver, B.C., on January 9, 2015, before Kirkpatrick, Garson and MacKenzie, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Garson, J.A., delivered the following reasons for judgment for the court on April 21, 2015.