Fraser Health Authority v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.) et al., 2014 BCCA 499

• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Judge: Newbury, Chiasson, Frankel, Bennett and Goepel, JJ.A.
• Neutral Citation: 2014 BCCA 499
• Citation: 2014 BCCA 499,(2014), 364 B.C.A.C. 241 (CA),380 DLR (4th) 204,[2015] 4 WWR 1,364 BCAC 241,[2014] CarswellBC 3824,[2014] BCJ No 3111 (QL),625 WAC 241,(2014), 364 BCAC 241 (CA),625 W.A.C. 241,364 B.C.A.C. 241,380 D.L.R. (4th) 204,[2014] B.C.J. No 3111 (QL)
• Date: 18 December 2014
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)

Health Authority v. WCAT (2014), 364 B.C.A.C. 241 (CA);

    625 W.A.C. 241

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JA.006

Fraser Health Authority (respondent/petitioner) v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (respondent/respondent) and Katrina Hammer (appellant/respondent)

Fraser Health Authority (respondent/petitioner) v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (respondent/respondent) and Patricia Schmidt (appellant/respondent)

Fraser Health Authority (respondent/petitioner) v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (respondent/respondent) and Anne MacFarlane (appellant/respondent)

(CA040835; 2014 BCCA 499)

Indexed As: Fraser Health Authority v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.) et al.

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Newbury, Chiasson, Frankel, Bennett and Goepel, JJ.A.

December 18, 2014.

Summary:

Three health workers with breast cancer were denied workers' compensation benefits for want of a causal connection between the cancer and their employment. The Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal allowed the workers' appeals on the ground that a causal connection was established (their breast cancer was an occupational disease due to the nature of the employment). The employer sought reconsideration of the three decisions. The Tribunal confirmed that all three decisions were not patently unreasonable. The employer sought judicial review of the three original and three reconsideration decisions.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a judgment reported [2013] B.C.T.C. Uned. 524, allowed the applications. The decisions were patently unreasonable where there was "no evidence" of a causal connection between the breast cancers and the employment. The workers appealed. Apart from the merits of the decision, the Court of Appeal requested submissions from the parties on whether the Tribunal had jurisdiction (apart from that provided in ss. 253.1 and 256 of the Workers Compensation Act) to reconsider its own decision and whether the Tribunal at large, or only the panel that heard the appeal, had jurisdiction to reopen a hearing to correct jurisdictional error.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal, Newbury and Bennett, JJ.A., dissenting, dismissed the appeal. The court agreed with the Supreme Court's conclusion that there was no positive evidence that the workers' cancers were caused by occupational factors. Absent such evidence, and in the face of contrary expert evidence, the Tribunal's decisions were patently unreasonable. Respecting the administrative law issues raised respecting reconsideration, the court held as follows: only the panel that heard the appeal had jurisdiction to reopen an appeal to cure a jurisdictional error (not the Tribunal at large); the panel had no jurisdiction to reopen an appeal to determine whether its own decision was patently unreasonable; as no jurisdictional defect was alleged, the panel had no jurisdiction to reconsider its original decision and the reconsideration decisions were nullities; and only the original decisions were subject to judicial review.

Workers' Compensation - Topic 1069

Boards - Jurisdiction - To reconsider, vary, amend or revoke decision - See paragraphs 113 to 217.

Workers' Compensation - Topic 5604

Compensation - Compensable injuries and disabilities - Causation - See paragraphs 113 to 217.

Workers' Compensation - Topic 7020

Practice - Appeals - Review of board's decision by an appeal board or by the courts - Reconsideration of appeal board decision - See paragraphs 113 to 217.

Cases Noticed:

Powell Estate et al. v. Workers' Compensation Board (B.C.), [2001] B.C.T.C. 1661; 2001 BCSC 1661, affd. (2003), 186 B.C.A.C. 83; 306 W.A.C. 83; 2003 BCCA 470, refd to. [para. 10].

Chandler v. Alberta Association of Architects, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 848; 99 N.R. 277; 101 A.R. 321, refd to. [para. 10].

Nazifpour v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (2007), 360 N.R. 199; 2007 FCA 35, refd to. [para. 10].

New Brunswick (Board of Management) v. Dunsmuir (2008), 372 N.R. 1; 329 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 844 A.P.R. 1; 2008 SCC 9, refd to. [para. 15].

Asquini v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal, [2009] B.C.T.C. Uned. 62; 2009 BCSC 62, refd to. [para. 15].

Khosa v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (2009), 385 N.R. 206; 2009 SCC 12, refd to. [para. 15].

Manz v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.) et al. (2009), 267 B.C.A.C. 99; 450 W.A.C. 99; 2009 BCCA 92, refd to. [para. 15].

Kovach v. Workers' Compensation Board (B.C.) et al. (1998), 108 B.C.A.C. 283; 176 W.A.C. 283; 52 B.C.L.R.(3d) 98 (C.A.), affd. (2000), 251 N.R. 356; 133 B.C.A.C. 85; 217 W.A.C. 85; 2000 SCC 3, refd to. [para. 18].

Speckling v. Workers' Compensation Board (B.C.) et al. (2005), 209 B.C.A.C. 86; 345 W.A.C. 86; 46 B.C.L.R.(4th) 77; 2005 BCCA 80, refd to. [para. 23].

SELI Canada Inc. et al. v. Construction and Specialized Workers' Union, Local 1611 et al. (2011), 309 B.C.A.C. 204; 523 W.A.C. 204; 2011 BCCA 353, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Nat Bell Liquors, [1922] 2 A.C. 128 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Northumberland Compensation Appeal Tribunal, [1952] 1 All E.R. 122 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 25].

Nicholson v. Haldimand-Norfolk Regional Board of Commissioners of Police and Ontario (Attorney General), [1979] 1 S.C.R. 311; 23 N.R. 410, refd to. [para. 25].

Knight v. Board of Education of Indian Head School Division No. 19, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 653; 106 N.R. 17; 83 Sask.R. 81, refd to. [para. 25].

Syndicat national des employés de la Commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 1048; 95 N.R. 161; 24 Q.A.C. 244, refd to. [para. 26].

Union des employés de service, local 298 v. Bibeault - see Syndicat national des employés de la Commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ).

Director of Investigation and Research, Competition Act v. Southam Inc. et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 748; 209 N.R. 20; 144 D.L.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 26].

Alberta Teachers' Association v. Information and Privacy Commissioner (Alta.) et al. (2011), 424 N.R. 70; 519 A.R. 1; 539 W.A.C. 1; 2011 SCC 61, refd to. [para. 26].

Pushpanathan v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1998] 1 S.C.R. 982, addendum [1998] 1 S.C.R. 1222; 226 N.R. 201, refd to. [para. 28].

Crevier v. Quebec (Attorney General) and Aubry; Crevier v. Quebec (Attorney General) and Cofsky and Alberta (Attorney General), [1981] 2 S.C.R. 220; 38 N.R. 541, refd to. [para. 30].

Vilardell v. Dunham (2014), 463 N.R. 336; 2014 SCC 59, refd to. [para. 31].

Trial Lawyers' Association of British Columbia v. British Columbia (Attorney General) - see Vilardell v. Dunham.

Cooper v. Canadian Human Rights Commission, [1996] 3 S.C.R. 854; 204 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 31].

MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. v. Simpson et al., [1995] 4 S.C.R. 725; 191 N.R. 260; 68 B.C.A.C. 161; 112 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 31].

United Steelworkers, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, Local 2009 v. Auyeung et al. (2011), 314 B.C.A.C. 172; 534 W.A.C. 172; 2011 BCCA 527, refd to. [para. 32].

Lysohirka v. Workers' Compensation Board (B.C.) (2012), 330 B.C.A.C. 68; 562 W.A.C. 68; 2012 BCCA 457, leave to appeal denied (2013), 458 N.R. 393 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 32].

Vandale v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.) (2013), 342 B.C.A.C. 112; 585 W.A.C. 112; 2013 BCCA 391, refd to. [para. 32].

Noël v. Société d'énergie de la Baie James, [2001] 2 S.C.R. 207; 271 N.R. 304; 2001 SCC 39, refd to. [para. 35].

Northstar Lumber v. United Steelworkers of America, Local No. 1-424 et al. (2009), 271 B.C.A.C. 78; 458 W.A.C. 78; 2009 BCCA 173, refd to. [para. 35].

Jozipovic v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.) et al. (2012), 320 B.C.A.C. 114; 543 W.A.C. 114; 2012 BCCA 174, refd to. [para. 44].

Davis v. WorkSafe BC et al., [2013] B.C.T.C. Uned. 476; 2013 BCSC 476, refd to. [para. 51].

Bibeault et al. v. McCaffrey et al., [1984] 1 S.C.R. 176; 52 N.R. 241, refd to. [para. 56].

Bell Canada v. Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1722; 97 N.R. 15, refd to. [para. 56].

Canada (Attorney General) v. Public Service Alliance of Canada, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 941; 150 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 56].

Pasiechnyk et al. v. Procrane Inc. et al., [1997] 2 S.C.R. 890; 216 N.R. 1; 158 Sask.R. 81; 153 W.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 56].

Pasiechnyk v. Workers' Compensation Board (Sask.) - see Pasiechnyk et al. v. Procrane Inc. et al.

Housen v. Nikolaisen et al., [2002] 2 S.C.R. 235; 286 N.R. 1; 219 Sask.R. 1; 272 W.A.C. 1; 2002 SCC 33, refd to. [para. 68].

Board of Education of Toronto v. Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation District 15 et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 487; 208 N.R. 245; 98 O.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 69].

Taub v. Investment Dealers Association of Canada et al. (2009), 255 O.A.C. 126; 2009 ONCA 628, refd to. [para. 70, footnote 1].

United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 401 v. Privacy Commissioner (Alta.) et al. (2012), 522 A.R. 197; 544 W.A.C. 197; 2012 ABCA 130, refd to. [para. 70, footnote 1].

Chima v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.), [2009] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1574; 2009 BCSC 1574, refd to. [para. 71].

Mitchell v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal, [2012] B.C.T.C. Uned. 986; 2012 BCSC 986, refd to. [para. 71].

Canada Safeway Ltd. v. Retail Merchants' Association of British Columbia et al. (1998), 114 B.C.A.C. 261; 186 W.A.C. 261; 59 B.C.L.R.(3d) 317 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 88].

Workers' Compensation Board (N.S.) v. Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal (N.S.) and Johnstone (1999), 181 N.S.R.(2d) 247; 560 A.P.R. 247; 1999 NSCA 164, refd to. [para. 90].

Snell v. Farrell, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 311; 110 N.R. 200; 107 N.B.R.(2d) 94; 267 A.P.R. 94, refd to. [para. 95].

McGhee v. National Coal Board, [1973] 1 W.L.R. 1 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 95].

Moore v. Castlegar & District Hospital et al. (1998), 103 B.C.A.C. 187; 169 W.A.C. 187; 49 B.C.L.R.(3d) 100 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 98].

Sam v. Wilson et al. (2007), 249 B.C.A.C. 228; 414 W.A.C. 228; 2007 BCCA 622, refd to. [para. 99].

Hanke v. Resurfice Corp. et al. (2007), 357 N.R. 175; 404 A.R. 333; 394 W.A.C. 333; 2007 SCC 7, refd to. [para. 99].

Athey v. Leonati et al., [1996] 3 S.C.R. 458; 203 N.R. 36; 81 B.C.A.C. 243; 132 W.A.C. 243, refd to. [para. 100].

Yellow Cab Co. et al. v. Passenger Transportation Board et al. (2014), 360 B.C.A.C. 148; 617 W.A.C. 148; 2014 BCCA 329, refd to. [para. 119].

Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 963 v. New Brunswick Liquor Corp., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 227; 26 N.R. 341; 25 N.B.R.(2d) 237; 51 A.P.R. 237, refd to. [para. 148].

Canadian Association of Film Distributors and Exporters v. Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) Inc. et al. (2014), 465 N.R. 117; 2014 FCA 235, refd to. [para. 170].

Page v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal (B.C.), [2009] B.C.T.C. Uned. 493; 2009 BCSC 493, refd to. [para. 209].

Statutes Noticed:

Workers Compensation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 492, sect. 253.1, sect. 256(1), sect. 256(2), sect. 256(4) [para. 130].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Régimbauld, Guy, Correctness, Reasonableness and Proportionality: A New Standard of Review (2005), 31 Man. L.J. 254, pp. 254 to 255 [para. 70, footnote 1].

Counsel:

D.G. Crane, for the appellants;

N.T. Mitha, for the respondent, Fraser Health Authority;

T.J. Martiniuk and M. Bennett, for the respondent, Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal;

L.M. Courtenay, for the intervenor, Workers' Compensation Board;

M. Pongracic-Speier, for the intervenors, British Columbia Federation of Labour and Community Legal Assistance Society.

This appeal was heard on October 2-3, 2014, at Vancouver, B.C., before Newbury, Chiasson, Frankel, Bennett and Goepel, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

On December 18, 2014, the judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered and the following opinions were filed:

Newbury, J.A. (Bennett, J.A., concurring), dissenting - see paragraphs 1 to 112;

Chiasson, J.A. (Frankel, J.A., concurring) - see paragraphs 113 to 200;

Goepel, J.A. - see paragraphs 201 to 217.