Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. Campbellton (City), (1981) 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288 (CA)

JudgeHughes, C.J.N.B., Ryan and Stratton, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal (New Brunswick)
Case DateSeptember 25, 1980
JurisdictionNew Brunswick
Citations(1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288 (CA);1981 CanLII 2866 (NB CA);36 NBR (2d) 288;127 DLR (3d) 436;[1981] NBJ No 241 (QL);94 APR 288

Gray's Ice Cream v. Campbellton (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288 (CA);

    36 R.N.-B.(2e) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288

MLB headnote and full text

Sommaire et texte intégral

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

.........................

Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Limited v. Campbellton, City of

(98/80/CA)

Indexed As: Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. Campbellton (City)

Répertorié: Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. Campbellton (City)

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Hughes, C.J.N.B., Ryan and Stratton, JJ.A.

August 19, 1981.

Summary:

Résumé:

The plaintiff sued a municipality and its contractors in negligence and nuisance for damages suffered when its basement flooded after a watermain fractured.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a decision not reported in these reports, dismissed the plaintiff's action against the contractors and allowed the action against the municipality in nuisance. The municipality appealed. The plaintiff cross-appealed on the issues of the adequacy of damages and interest.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and allowed the cross-appeal in part.

Municipal Law - Topic 1869

Liability of municipalities - Nuisance - Water runoff - Lines or mains - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal affirmed that a city was liable in nuisance for damage to neighbouring property resulting from flooding caused by a break in a municipal watermain - See paragraphs 16 to 17.

Municipal Law - Topic 1875

Liability of municipalities - Nuisance - Defences - Statutory authority - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal held that the defence of statutory authority applied if the nuisance was expressly or impliedly authorized by statute and was the inevitable consequence of the authorized act - See paragraphs 7 and 12.

Municipal Law - Topic 1875

Liability of municipalities - Nuisance - Defences - Statutory authority - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal held that the burden of proving the defence of statutory authority in a nuisance action was discharged if the defendant proved not only that he used reasonable care and skill, but also that there was no feasible way of carrying out the statutory authority and avoiding a nuisance - See paragraph 12.

Municipal Law - Topic 1402

Powers of municipalities - Source of powers - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal stated that a New Brunswick municipality derives its legislative authority to provide public services from the Municipalities Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. M-22 - See paragraph 13.

Torts - Topic 1007

Nuisance - Private nuisance - Defined - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal discussed the concept of private nuisance - See paragraph 11.

Statutes - Topic 5101

Operation and effect - Permissive acts - General - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal stated that legislation which was permissive, not imperative or mandatory, did not prejudice the common law rights of others - See paragraph 10.

Cases Noticed:

City of Portage La Prairie v. B.C. Pea Growers Ltd. (1965), 54 D.L.R.(2d) 503 (S.C.C.), appld. [para. 5].

Royal Anne Hotel Co. Ltd. v. Village of Ashcroft (1979), 95 D.L.R.(3d) 756 (B.C.C.A.), appld. [para. 5].

Temple and Denton v. City of Melville, [1979] 6 W.W.R. 257 (Sask. C.A.), appld. [para. 5].

Winchester Corporation v. Farnworth, [1930] A.C. 171, refd to. [para. 7].

Statutes Noticed:

Municipalities Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. M-22, sect. 7(1) [paras. 13 to 14].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Fleming, The Law of Torts (5th Ed. 1977), p. 423 [para. 7].

McLaren, Dean J.P.S. (1976-77), 1 C.C.L.T. 229-301 [para. 11].

Counsel:

John Barry, Q.C., for the appellant;

Donald M. Gillis, Q.C., for the respondent.

This appeal was heard before HUGHES, C.J.N.B., RYAN and STRATTON, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, on September 25, 1980. The decision of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal was delivered by STRATTON, J.A., on August 18, 1981. See French language translation at page 297.

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20 practice notes
  • Tock and Tock v. St. John's Metropolitan Area Board, (1989) 82 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 181 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 7 Diciembre 1989
    ...W.W.R.(N.S.) 415 (Man. C.A.), 45 W.W.R.(N.S.) 513 , consd. [paras. 30, 90]. Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. City of Campbellton (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288 ; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 436 , refd to. [paras. 30, 41, Royal Anne Hotel Co. v. Ashcroft, [1979] 2 W.W.R. 462 (B.C.C.A.), af......
  • Ward v. Cariboo Regional District,
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • 30 Julio 2021
    ...to appeal refused [2011] 3 S.C.R. xi; City of Campbellton v. Gray’s Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. (1981), 1981 CanLII 2866 (NB CA), 127 D.L.R. (3d) 436 (N.B.C.A.), at p. 441; Royal Anne Hotel Co. v. Village of Ashcroft (1979), 1979 CanLII 2776 (BC CA), 95 D.L.R. (3d) 756 (B.C.C.A.), at ......
  • McKellar v. Saint John (City), (1997) 189 N.B.R.(2d) 49 (TD)
    • Canada
    • New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
    • 11 Abril 1997
    ...181, appld. [para. 8]. Rickards v. Lothian, [1913] A.C. 263, folld. [para. 10]. Gray's Velvet Ice-Cream Ltd. v. Campbellton (City) (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 436 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Dressew Supply Ltd. v. Vancouver (City) (1989), 45 M.P.L.R. 279 (B.C.C.A.),......
  • Tock and Tock v. St. John's Metropolitan Area Board, (1989) 104 N.R. 241 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 7 Diciembre 1989
    ...W.W.R.(N.S.) 415 (Man. C.A.), 45 W.W.R.(N.S.) 513 , consd. [paras. 30, 90]. Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. City of Campbellton (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288 ; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 436 , refd to. [paras. 30, 41, Royal Anne Hotel Co. v. Ashcroft, [1979] 2 W.W.R. 462 (B.C.C.A.), af......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
20 cases
  • Tock and Tock v. St. John's Metropolitan Area Board, (1989) 82 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 181 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 7 Diciembre 1989
    ...W.W.R.(N.S.) 415 (Man. C.A.), 45 W.W.R.(N.S.) 513 , consd. [paras. 30, 90]. Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. City of Campbellton (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288 ; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 436 , refd to. [paras. 30, 41, Royal Anne Hotel Co. v. Ashcroft, [1979] 2 W.W.R. 462 (B.C.C.A.), af......
  • Ward v. Cariboo Regional District,
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • 30 Julio 2021
    ...to appeal refused [2011] 3 S.C.R. xi; City of Campbellton v. Gray’s Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. (1981), 1981 CanLII 2866 (NB CA), 127 D.L.R. (3d) 436 (N.B.C.A.), at p. 441; Royal Anne Hotel Co. v. Village of Ashcroft (1979), 1979 CanLII 2776 (BC CA), 95 D.L.R. (3d) 756 (B.C.C.A.), at ......
  • McKellar v. Saint John (City), (1997) 189 N.B.R.(2d) 49 (TD)
    • Canada
    • New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
    • 11 Abril 1997
    ...181, appld. [para. 8]. Rickards v. Lothian, [1913] A.C. 263, folld. [para. 10]. Gray's Velvet Ice-Cream Ltd. v. Campbellton (City) (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 436 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Dressew Supply Ltd. v. Vancouver (City) (1989), 45 M.P.L.R. 279 (B.C.C.A.),......
  • Tock and Tock v. St. John's Metropolitan Area Board, (1989) 104 N.R. 241 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 7 Diciembre 1989
    ...W.W.R.(N.S.) 415 (Man. C.A.), 45 W.W.R.(N.S.) 513 , consd. [paras. 30, 90]. Gray's Velvet Ice Cream Ltd. v. City of Campbellton (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 94 A.P.R. 288 ; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 436 , refd to. [paras. 30, 41, Royal Anne Hotel Co. v. Ashcroft, [1979] 2 W.W.R. 462 (B.C.C.A.), af......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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