Hickey v. New Brunswick Housing Corp., 2014 NBCA 36

• Judge: Robertson, Bell and Green, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: September 25, 2013
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2014 NBCA 36;(2014), 422 N.B.R.(2d) 332 (CA)

Hickey v. NBHC (2014), 422 N.B.R.(2d) 332 (CA);

    422 R.N.-B.(2e) 332; 1096 A.P.R. 332

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]

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Temp. Cite: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. AU.006

Renvoi temp.: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. AU.006

Eva Hickey (plaintiff/appellant) v. New Brunswick Housing Corporation (defendant/respondent)

(151-12-CA; 2014 NBCA 36)

Indexed As: Hickey v. New Brunswick Housing Corp.

Répertorié: Hickey v. New Brunswick Housing Corp.

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Robertson, Bell and Green, JJ.A.

June 4, 2014.

Summary:

Résumé:

The plaintiff tripped and fell on a steel lip attached to the metal landing of the staircase leading to the front door of her housing unit, which was owned by the defendant. Alleging that the accident was caused by the defendant's negligence in property maintenance, she sought damages.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a decision reported at (2012), 395 N.B.R.(2d) 285; 1023 A.P.R. 285, dismissed the action, but provisionally assessed damages in the amount of $15,000. The plaintiff appealed.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal. While the trial judge's provisional assessment of damages was affirmed, the award was reduced by 25% to reflect the plaintiff's contributory negligence. The plaintiff was awarded trial costs of $3,500 and costs on appeal of $1,500.

Landlord and Tenant - Topic 1882

The premises - Liability of landlord for defective or dangerous premises - Basis of liability - [See second Torts - Topic 3666 ].

Landlord and Tenant - Topic 1885

The premises - Liability of landlord for defective or dangerous premises - For failure to repair - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Landlord and Tenant - Topic 1891

The premises - Liability of landlord for defective or dangerous premises - Respecting stairs - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Torts - Topic 3583

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dangerous premises - Negligence of occupier - Stairs, steps or landings - The plaintiff tripped and fell on a steel lip attached to the metal landing of the staircase leading to the front door of her housing unit, which was owned by the defendant housing corporation - Alleging that the accident was caused by the defendant's negligence in property maintenance, she sought damages - DeWare, J., dismissed the action, finding that the defendant had a "reasonable maintenance and inspection system in place" to guard against what was an "obvious peril" - Further, the plaintiff had a positive (contractual) duty to report the problem, which she had breached - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the plaintiff's appeal - The defendant's system of inspections was intended to detect the need for capital improvements and then to prioritize those according to the budget available - The court could not "embrace a standard of care" that permitted landlords to undertake repairs based solely on "the size of their pocketbook" - Further, a maintenance program that was driven by tenant complaints did not meet the standard of care - The lease provision requiring tenants to report the need for repairs had to be interpreted narrowly - Otherwise, it could operate as an exemption relieving landlords of their duty to adopt an adequate inspection program - The plaintiff was not in breach of her reporting duty and the defendant had not met the standard of care - DeWare, J.'s provisional assessment of damages of $15,000 was affirmed, but the award was reduced by 25% to reflect the plaintiff's failure to exercise the required degree of care - See paragraphs 22 to 33.

Torts - Topic 3666

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dangerous premises - Use pursuant to contract - Standard of care - Particular premises - Landlord - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Torts - Topic 3666

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dangerous premises - Use pursuant to contract - Standard of care - Particular premises - Landlord - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal discussed the common law duty of care of landlords to tenants to ensure that common areas remained in a safe condition - The standard of care embraced the obligation to adopt a reasonably balanced inspection regime - The landlord was responsible for failing to maintain the common areas in a safe condition and could be liable in negligence even where the defect was plain and obvious - The tenant's awareness of the defect was relevant to the issue of contributory negligence - Moreover, the tenant's prior knowledge of the defect did not negate the landlord's liability for failing to comply with the common law obligation - The landlord had to effect repairs to defects that posed a risk to tenants and all others who used the common areas - See paragraphs 13 to 21.

Torts - Topic 6603

Defences - Contributory negligence - General - Apportionment of fault - General (incl. breach of contract cases) - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Torts - Topic 6614

Defences - Contributory negligence - Particular cases - Knowledge of defective or dangerous things - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Torts - Topic 6628

Defences - Contributory negligence - Particular cases - Failure to take preventive or remedial action - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Torts - Topic 9161

Duty of care - Particular relationships - Claims against public officials, authorities or boards - Housing authorities - [See Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Délits civils - Cote 3583

Responsabilité ou négligence de l'occupant pour des lieux dangereux - Négligence de l'occupant - Escaliers, marches ou paliers - [Voir Torts - Topic 3583 ].

Délits civils - Cote 3666

Responsabilité ou négligence de l'occupant pour des lieux dangereux - Usage d'après un contrat - Norme de conduite - Lieux particuliers - Locateur - [Voir Torts - Topic 3666 ].

Délits civils - Cote 6603

Défenses - Négligence contributive - Généralités - Partage de la responsabilité - Généralités (y compris les cas de violation de contrat) - [Voir Torts - Topic 6603 ].

Délits civils - Cote 6614

Défenses - Négligence contributive - Cas particuliers - Connaissance de choses dangereuses - [Voir Torts - Topic 6614 ].

Délits civils - Cote 6628

Défenses - Négligence contributive - Cas particuliers - Omission de prendre des mesures préventives ou correctives - [Voir Torts - Topic 6628 ].

Délits civils - Cote 9161

Devoir de diligence - Relations particulières - Poursuites contre les fonctionnaires, les responsables ou les organismes publics - Régies des habitations - [Voir Torts - Topic 9161 ].

Propriétaire et locataire - Cote 1882

Les lieux - Responsabilité du propriétaire pour les lieux dangereux ou défectueux - Fondement de la responsabilité - [Voir Landlord and Tenant - Topic 1882 ].

Propriétaire et locataire - Cote 1885

Les lieux - Responsabilité du propriétaire pour les lieux dangereux ou défectueux - Pour défaut de réparer - [Voir Landlord and Tenant - Topic 1885 ].

Propriétaire et locataire - Cote 1891

Les lieux - Responsabilité du propriétaire pour des lieux défectueux ou dangereux - Escaliers - [Voir Landlord and Tenant - Topic 1891 ].

Cases Noticed:

Moreau v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Edmundston (2011), 371 N.B.R.(2d) 360; 959 A.P.R. 360; 2011 NBCA 26, refd to. [para. 13].

Reid v. Hatty (2005), 279 N.B.R.(2d) 202; 732 A.P.R. 202; 2005 NBCA 5, refd to. [para. 13].

Frampton v. Lackman (1958), 16 D.L.R.(2d) 45 (N.B.C.A.), refd to. [para. 14].

Dunster v. Hollis, [1918] 2 K.B. 795, refd to. [para. 14].

Pelletier v. Albert (1976), 13 N.B.R.(2d) 211; 13 A.P.R. 211 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

McAllister v. Wal-Mart Canada Inc. (2000), 228 N.B.R.(2d) 230; 588 A.P.R. 230 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Keenan v. Brown (2009), 351 N.B.R.(2d) 122; 904 A.P.R. 122; 2009 NBCA 81, leave to appeal denied (2010), 406 N.R. 400; 368 N.B.R.(2d) 402; 949 A.P.R. 402 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 17].

Ringuette v. Martin (1971), 3 N.B.R.(2d) 598 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

Gaston v. Fanjoy (1981), 36 N.B.R.(2d) 226; 94 A.P.R. 226 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

Yorke v. Princeton Properties Ltd. et al., [2003] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 16; 2003 NBQB 157, refd to. [para. 21].

Leading Investments Ltd. v. Liebig (H.W.) & Co., [1986] 1 S.C.R. 70; 65 N.R. 209; 14 O.A.C. 159, refd to. [para. 29].

Basque v. Saint John (City) (2002), 250 N.B.R.(2d) 207; 650 A.P.R. 207; 2002 NBQB 131, refd to. [para. 30].

Lanteigne v. New Brunswick Liquor Corp. et al., [2002] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 21; 2002 NBQB 84, refd to. [para. 30].

Blanchard v. Acadie-Presse ltée (2013), 409 N.B.R.(2d) 152; 1062 A.P.R. 152; 2013 NBCA 58, refd to. [para. 34].

Authors and Works Noticed:

New Brunswick, Office of the Attorney General, Occupiers' Liability And Trespass to Land Reform for New Brunswick (1981), generally [para. 18].

Counsel:

Avocats:

D. Paul Hayes, for the appellant;

Maya A. Hamou, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on September 25, 2013, by Robertson, Bell and Green, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal. The court rendered its judgment on June 4, 2014, and Robertson and Green, JJ.A., delivered the following written reasons for the court in both official languages on July 31, 2014.