Hall v. Quicksilver Resources Canada Inc., 2015 BCCA 291

• Judge: Newbury, Tysoe and Savage, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: June 04, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: 2015 BCCA 291;(2015), 374 B.C.A.C. 212 (CA)

Hall v. Quicksilver Resources (2015), 374 B.C.A.C. 212 (CA);

    642 W.A.C. 212

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JL.008

Kenneth Andrew Hall (respondent/plaintiff) v. Quicksilver Resources Canada Inc. (appellant/defendant)

(CA42218; 2015 BCCA 291)

Indexed As: Hall v. Quicksilver Resources Canada Inc.

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Newbury, Tysoe and Savage, JJ.A.

June 26, 2015.

Summary:

Hall began working for the Catalyst pulp mill in 1989. Catalyst decommissioned the pulp mill and sold it to Quicksilver Resources Canada Ltd. in 2012 for use as an LNG plant. Catalyst offered to continue Hall's employment at one of its other sites, or to terminate his employment and pay him a lump sum payment equal to 14 months' salary. Hall accepted the latter offer and signed an agreement to that effect. He also signed a release of liability in favour of Catalyst. Hall began working for Quicksilver in May 2013. Quicksilver terminated Hall's employment without cause in February 2014 and gave him pay in lieu of one week's notice. Hall sued Quicksilver for wrongful dismissal.

The British Columbia Supreme Court found that the payment Hall received from Catalyst on the termination of his previous employment was not a severance payment. Quicksilver had hired Hall "recognizing his past service". Accordingly, Hall was entitled to pay in lieu of 18 months' notice. Alternatively, if Hall's employment with Quicksilver had not been continuous since he started with Catalyst, he would have been entitled to pay in lieu of seven months' notice. Quicksilver appealed.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and reduced Hall's damages to an amount equal to pay in lieu of three months' notice.

Contracts - Topic 7406

Interpretation - General principles - Interpretation by context - See paragraphs 26 to 31 and 35.

Contracts - Topic 7430

Interpretation - Ambiguity - Admissibility of extrinsic evidence - See paragraphs 26 to 31 and 35.

Contracts - Topic 7521

Interpretation - Surrounding circumstances - General - See paragraphs 26 to 31 and 35.

Master and Servant - Topic 1881

Remuneration - Severance pay - General - See paragraphs 26 to 35.

Master and Servant - Topic 7704

Dismissal or discipline of employees - Damages for wrongful dismissal - Measure of damages for wrongful dismissal - See paragraphs 37 to 45.

Master and Servant - Topic 8000

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dismissal - What constitutes reasonable notice - See paragraphs 37 to 45.

Master and Servant - Topic 8003

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dismissal - Reasonable notice - Considerations affecting - See paragraphs 37 to 45.

Master and Servant - Topic 8009

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dismissal - Notice period - Where employer or bankruptcy trustee sells business to employer who dismisses employees - See paragraphs 32 to 35.

Cases Noticed:

Sorel v. Tomenson Saunders Whitehead Ltd. et al. (1987), 15 B.C.L.R.(2d) 38 (C.A.), dist. [para. 2].

Bardal v. The Globe and Mail Ltd., [1960] O.W.N. 253; 24 D.L.R.(2d) 140 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 21].

Ansari v. British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority (1986), 2 B.C.L.R.(2d) 33 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 24].

Ostrow v. Abacus Management Corp. Mergers & Acquisitions, [2014] B.C.T.C. Uned. 938; 2014 BCSC 938, refd to. [para. 24].

Creston Moly Corp. v. Sattva Capital Corp. (2014), 461 N.R. 335; 358 B.C.A.C. 1; 614 W.A.C. 1; 2014 SCC 53, appld. [para. 26].

Reardon Smith Line v. Hansen-Tangen, [1976] 3 All E.R. 570 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 26].

Prenn v. Simmonds, [1971] 3 All E.R. 237 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 26].

Glaswegian Enterprises Inc. v. BC Tel Mobility Cellular Inc. (1997), 101 B.C.A.C. 62; 164 W.A.C. 62; 49 B.C.L.R.(3d) 317 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

Ahluwalia et al. v. Richmond Cabs Ltd. (1995), 63 B.C.A.C. 278; 104 W.A.C. 278; 13 B.C.L.R.(3d) 93 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

Hayes Forest Services Ltd. v. Weyerhaeuser Co. (2008), 250 B.C.A.C. 286; 416 W.A.C. 286; 2008 BCCA 31, refd to. [para. 26].

Black Swan Gold Mines Ltd. v. Goldbelt Resources Ltd. (1996), 78 B.C.A.C. 193; 128 W.A.C. 193; 25 B.C.L.R.(3d) 285 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

Royal Bank of Canada v. Hale (1961), 30 D.L.R.(2d) 138, refd to. [para. 28].

Canadian Fur Auction Sales Co. v. Neely, [1954] 2 D.L.R. 154 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

Mabey v. Mansonville Plastics Ltd. et al. (1978), 24 N.B.R.(2d) 689; 48 A.P.R. 689 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 28].

Hunter v. Northwood Pulp & Timber Ltd. (1985), 7 C.C.E.L. 260 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 40].

Jimmo v. Chief Hauling Contractors Ltd., [2009] C.L.A.D. No. 129, refd to. [para. 42].

Allen v. Assaly Holdings Ltd., [1991] 34 C.C.E.L. 81 (Ont. Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 42].

Saalfeld v. Absolute Software Corp. (2009), 265 B.C.A.C. 116; 446 W.A.C. 116; 2009 BCCA 18, refd to. [para. 42].

Marchi v. Superior Bakery (1985) Ltd. (1999), 130 B.C.A.C. 244; 211 W.A.C. 244; 1999 BCCA 621, refd to. [para. 43].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Fridman, G.H.L., The Law of Contract in Canada (6th Ed. 2011), p. 445 [para. 28].

Counsel:

J.A. D'Andrea, Q.C., and L.M. Gill, for the appellant;

M. Sheard, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard at Vancouver, B.C., on June 4, 2015, before Newbury, Tysoe and Savage, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Newbury, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the court on June 26, 2015.