Chong v. Flynn et al., (1998) 233 A.R. 120 (QB)

• Judge: Dea, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: October 14, 1998
• Citations: (1998), 233 A.R. 120 (QB)

Chong v. Flynn (1998), 233 A.R. 120 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1998] A.R. TBEd. OC.074

Vui Tze Chong (plaintiff) v. Patrick Flynn, Sharon Lynn Flynn, John Doe and Jane Doe (defendants)

(Action No. 9703-01741)

Indexed As: Chong v. Flynn et al.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Dea, J.

October 14, 1998.

Summary:

The plaintiff slipped and fell on a public sidewalk in front of the Flynns' land. She sued the Flynns for her injuries alleging that they were negligent, inter alia, in failing to clear the sidewalk of snow and failing to sand it and alleged they failed to exercise a duty of care under the Occupier's Liability Act. The Flynns applied for summary judg­ment dismissing the action.

A Master of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, in a decision reported 227 A.R. 327, granted summary judgment. The plaintiff appealed.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the appeal.

Torts - Topic 45

Negligence - Standard of care - Particular persons and relationships - Landowners or occupiers of land - The plaintiff slipped and fell on a public sidewalk in front of the Flynns' land - She sued the Flynns for her injuries alleging, inter alia, that they breached a "snow-clearing" bylaw by failing to clear the snow from the sidewalk and, therefore, breached a duty of care (statutory) owed to the plaintiff - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench rejected the argument stating that it was clear that a bylaw requiring an occupier to maintain abutting sidewalks in safe condition did not give rise to a civil action - There were no allegations of occupation or control on the part of the Flynns, nor allegations of special circumstances creating an unusual risk or nuisance which would bring the claim in line with the "exceptional" cases -See paragraphs 26 to 28.

Torts - Topic 77

Negligence - Duty of care - Relationship required to raise duty of care - [See Torts - Topic 45 ].

Torts - Topic 78

Negligence - Duty of care - Effect of statutory precautions or safeguards on the scope of the duty of care - [See Torts - Topic 45 ].

Torts - Topic 3554

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dan­gerous premises - Occupier and premises defined - Respecting sidewalks - [See Torts - Topic 45 ].

Torts - Topic 3588

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dan­gerous premises - Negligence of occupier -Sidewalks - [See Torts - Topic 45 ].

Torts - Topic 3712.5

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dan­gerous premises - Invitees - Liability of particular occupiers (incl. duty and stan­dard of care) - Sidewalks - [See Torts - Topic 45 ].

Cases Noticed:

Tibbits v. Malloy (1989), 94 A.R. 176; 65 Alta. L.R.(2d) 90 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 6].

Donoghue v. Stevenson, [1932] All E.R. Rep. 1 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 7].

Anns v. Merton London Borough Council, [1977] 2 All E.R. 492 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 7].

Edgar v. Canadian Imperial Bank of Com­merce and M & B Industrial Cleaners Ltd. (1977), 6 A.R. 104 (N.W.T.C.A.), refd to. [para. 9].

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool v. Canada, [1983] 1 S.C.R. 205; 45 N.R. 425; 23 C.C.L.T. 121, refd to. [para. 9].

Shwemer v. Odeon Morton Theatres Ltd. (1985), 33 Man.R.(2d) 109 (Q.B.), affd. (1985), 37 Man.R.(2d) 176 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Turner v. Windsor (City) (1984), 46 O.R.(2d) 174 (Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 26].

Slumski v. Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Canada, [1994] O.J. No. 301 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 26].

Gandara v. Toronto (City) (1994), 22 M.P.L.R.(2d) 220 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 26].

Gardner v. Unimet Investments Ltd. et al. (1995), 4 B.C.L.R.(3d) 376 (S.C.), affd. (1996), 76 B.C.A.C. 215; 125 W.A.C. 215; 19 B.C.L.R.(3d) 196 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

Clarke v. Connell et al., [1997] A.R. Uned. 180; 10 C.P.C.(4th) 276 (Q.B.), dist. [para. 26].

Western Canadian Place Ltd. et al. v. Can-Force Products Ltd. et al. (1997), 208 A.R. 179; 54 Alta. L.R.(3d) 69 (Q.B.), dist. [para. 26].

Hagen v. Goldfarb (1961), 28 D.L.R.(2d) 746 (N.S.S.C.), refd to. [para. 27].

Lysack v. Burrard Motor Inn and Vancouver (City) (1991), 2 B.C.A.C. 216; 5 W.A.C. 216; 58 B.C.L.R.(2d) 33 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Brazzoni v. Timmins (City), [1992] O.J. No. 254 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Olausen v. Gravelbourg Credit Union Ltd. (1996), 151 Sask.R. 177 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 27].

Moody v. Toronto (City) et al. (1996), 15 O.T.C. 122; 31 O.R.(3d) 53 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 27].

Bogoroch v. Toronto (City), [1991] O.J. No. 1032 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 27].

German v. Major (1985), 39 Alta. L.R.(2d) 270 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

Zebroski v. Jehovah's Witnesses (1986), 71 A.R. 259 (Q.B.), affd. (1988), 87 A.R. 229 (C.A.), leave to appeal dis­missed (1989), 99 N.R. 227; 94 A.R. 320 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 30].

Cascade Development Corp. et al. v. Red Deer College (1992), 129 A.R. 55 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 30].

Statutes Noticed:

Edmonton (City) Bylaws, Bylaw No. 5590, generally [para. 1].

Municipal Government Act, S.A. 1994, c. 26.1, sect. 7(a) [para. 5].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Klar, Lewis N., Tort Law (2nd Ed. 1996), pp. 267, 268 [para. 15].

Linden, Allen M., Canadian Tort Law (6th Ed. 1997), c. 7, pp. 201 to 226 [para. 13]; c. 9, pp. 317 [para. 13]; 318 [paras. 13, 14].

Counsel:

Helmut Berndt, for the plaintiff;

Kelly J. Robinson, for the defendants.

This appeal was heard before Dea, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following judgment on October 14, 1998.