Friends of the Island Inc. v. Canada (Minister of Public Works) et al., (1993) 61 F.T.R. 4 (TD)

• Judge: Reed, J.
• Court: Federal Court (Canada)
• Case Date: March 01, 1993
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1993), 61 F.T.R. 4 (TD)

Island Inc. v. Can. (1993), 61 F.T.R. 4 (TD)

MLB headnote and full text

Friends of the Island Inc. (applicant) v. Minister of Public Works, Minister of Transportation, Minister of the Environment, The Attorney General of New Brunswick, The Attorney General of Prince Edward Island, and SCI Partnership (respondents)

(T-3068-92)

Indexed As: Friends of the Island Inc. v. Canada (Minister of Public Works) et al.

Federal Court of Canada

Trial Division

Reed, J.

March 19, 1993.

Summary:

The Friends of the Island Inc. applied for prerogative relief respecting decisions made by the federal government and the provincial governments of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island surrounding the proposed fixed link crossing between the Island and the mainland. The two main issues raised were (1) whether the Minister of Public Works (Can.) complied with s. 12 of the Environmental Assessment and Review Process Guidelines Order, and (2) whether the Minister of Public Works, in signing the Northumberland Strait Crossing Project Federal-Provincial Agreement, on behalf of the federal government, entered into an agreement which would result in a breach of the constitutional obligations of the Prince Edward Island Terms of Union.

The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, allowed the application, holding that the Minister did not comply with s. 12 of the Guidelines Order and discontinuance of the ferry service would breach constitutional obligations. As a remedy, the court: (1) ordered the Minister of Public Works to have a s. 12 assessment undertaken respecting the specific project proposed before irrevocable decisions are taken; and (2) declared that discontinuance of the ferry service, in the absence of a constitutional amendment, would breach the Terms of Union (P.E.I.).

Constitutional Law - Topic 28

Raising constitutional issues - Status of party to raise constitutional issue - Friends of the Island Inc. (the applicant) applied for prerogative relief respecting the fixed link crossing project between the Island and the mainland - The applicant was an interest group composed of Islanders - The government respondents argued that the applicant lacked standing - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, held that the applicant met the common law test for standing and the criteria under s. 18.1 (1) of the Federal Court Act - The court rejected the argument that only the government of Prince Edward Island, as opposed to individuals, could sue to enforce the constitutional obligation to provide ferry service under the Terms of Union (P.E.I.) - See paragraphs 74 to 87.

Constitutional Law - Topic 2108

Amendment of Constitution Act and other constitutional documents - When amendment required - The federal Minister of Public Works signed the Northumberland Strait Crossing Project Federal-Provincial Agreement, on behalf of the federal government, respecting replacement of a publicly run ferry service between Prince Edward Island and the mainland, with a fixed link crossing - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, held that discontinuance of the ferry service would be a breach of the constitutionally guaranteed Terms of Union upon which Prince Edward Island entered confederation - Therefore, discontinuance of the ferry service would have to be done by constitutional amendment - See paragraphs 55 to 74.

Crown - Topic 2066

Crown undertakings - Between Canada and provinces - To maintain services - [See Constitutional Law - Topic 2108 ].

Pollution Control - Topic 1851

Environmental assessments or impact studies - Environmental Assessment and Review Process Guidelines Order (E.A.R.P. Guidelines Order) - Initial assessment by initiating department - Section 12 of the E.A.R.P. Guidelines Order provided that every initiating department shall screen or assess each project proposal to determine the environmental impacts - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, examined the federal Minister of Public Work's course of conduct in selecting a developer for the fixed link crossing project for Prince Edward Island, and determined that s. 12 had not been complied with - The court ordered the Minister to undertake a s. 12 assessment respecting the specific design of the proposed link before any irrevocable decisions were made - See paragraphs 1 to 54, 99 and 100.

Practice - Topic 221

Persons who can sue and be sued - Individuals and corporations - Status or standing - Public interest standing - Requirements of - [See Constitutional Law - Topic 28 ].

Cases Noticed:

Naskapi-Montagnais Innu Association v. Canada (Minister of National Defence), [1990] 3 F.C. 381; 35 F.T.R. 161; 5 C.E.L.R.(N.S.) 287, refd to. [para. 34, footnote 1].

Canadian Wildlife Federation Inc. et al. v. Canada (Minister of the Environment) and Saskatchewan Water Corp., [1991] 1 F.C. 641; 121 N.R. 385 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 34, footnote 1].

Tetzlaff v. Canada (Minister of the Environment) et al. - see Canadian Wildlife Federation Inc. et al. v. Canada (Minister of the Environment) and Saskatchewan Water Corp.

Cantwell et al. v. Canada (Minister of the Environment) et al. (1991), 41 F.T.R. 18; 6 C.E.L.R.(N.S.) 16 (T.D.), refd to. [paras. 34, 95, footnote 1].

Friends of the Old Man River Society v. Canada (Minister of Transport and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans), [1992] 1 S.C.R. 3; 132 N.R. 321; [1992] 2 W.W.R. 193, refd to. [paras. 34, 94, footnote 2].

Canadian Wildlife Federation Inc. et al. v. Canada (Minister of the Environment) and Saskatchewan Water Corp. (1989), 99 N.R. 72; 14 C.E.L.R.(N.S.) 89 (F.C.A.), affirming [1989] 4 W.W.R. 526; 26 F.T.R. 245; 37 Admin. L.R. 39; 3 C.E.L.R.(N.S.) 287 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 34, footnote 2].

Prince Edward Island v. Canada, [1976] 2 F.C. 712; 66 D.L.R.(3d) 465 (F.C.T.D.), affd. [1978] 1 F.C. 533; 20 N.R. 91; 14 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 477; 33 A.P.R. 477; 83 D.L.R.(3d) 492 (F.C.A.), refd to. [paras. 58, 82].

Prince Edward Island (Minister of Transportation and Public Works) v. Canadian National Railway Co. (1990), 110 N.R. 394; 71 D.L.R.(4th) 596 (F.C.A.), refd to. [paras. 58, 68].

Quebec (Attorney General) v. Blaikie et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1016; 30 N.R. 225; 49 C.C.C.(2d) 359; 101 D.L.R.(3d) 394, refd to. [para. 60].

Residential Tenancies Act of Ontario, Re, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 714; 37 N.R. 158; 123 D.L.R.(3d) 554, refd to. [paras. 60, 67].

Reference Re Residential Tenancies Act of Ontario - see Residential Tenancies Act of Ontario, Re.

Edwards and Others v. Canada (Attorney General) et al., [1930] A.C. 124; [1930] 1 D.L.R. 128, refd to. [para. 67].

Prince Edward Island v. Canada, [1978] 1 F.C. 533; 20 N.R. 91; 14 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 477; 33 A.P.R. 477; 83 D.L.R.(3d) 492 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 72].

Thorson v. Attorney General of Canada, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 138; 1 N.R. 225; 43 D.L.R.(3d) 1, refd to. [para. 74].

Borowski v. Minister of Justice and Minister of Finance of Canada, [1981] 2 S.C.R. 575; 39 N.R. 331; 12 Sask.R. 420; [1982] 1 W.W.R. 97; 24 C.R.(3d) 352; 24 C.P.C. 62; 64 C.C.C.(2d) 97; 130 D.L.R.(3d) 588, refd to. [para. 74].

Finlay v. Canada, [1986] 2 S.C.R. 607; 71 N.R. 338; 33 D.L.R.(4th) 321, refd to. [para. 74].

McNeil v. Nova Scotia Board of Censors, [1976] 2 S.C.R. 265; 5 N.R. 43; 12 N.S.R.(2d) 85; 6 A.P.R. 85; 55 D.L.R.(3d) 632; 32 C.R.N.S. 376, refd to. [para. 75].

Canadian Council of Churches v. Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration) et al., [1992] 1 S.C.R. 236; 132 N.R. 241, refd to. [para. 75].

Vancouver Island Peace Society et al. v. Canada (Minister of National Defence) et al., [1992] 3 F.C. 42; 53 F.T.R. 300 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 95].

Canadian Wildlife Federation Inc. et al. v. Canada (Minister of the Environment) and Saskatchewan Water Corp., [1990] 1 F.C. 595 (T.D.), affd. [1991] 1 F.C. 641; 121 N.R. 385 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 95].

Statutes Noticed:

British North America Act, 1867 - see Constitution Act, 1867.

Constitution Act, 1867, sect. 146 [paras. 57, 85]; sect. 96 [para. 71].

Constitution Act, 1982, sect. 43 [para. 71]; sect. 52 [paras. 57, 87]; sect. 52(1) [paras. 57, 86, 87]; sect. 52(2)(b) [para. 57]; Schedule, item 6 [para. 57].

Environmental Assessment and Review Process Guidelines Order, SOR/84-467, sect. 2 [paras. 33, 39]; sect. 3 [para. 33 et seq.]; sect. 4, sect. 5(1) [para. 33]; sect. 5(2) [paras. 33, 39]; sect. 6 [para. 33]; sect. 10 [para. 3 et seq.]; sect. 10(1) [para. 41]; sect. 12 [para. 1 et seq.]; sect. 12(c) [para. 49]; sect. 13 [paras. 12, 33, 36]; sect. 15, sect. 16 [paras. 33, 42]; sect. 20, sect. 21 [para. 33]; sect. 33, sect. 33(1)(a) [para. 40]; sect. 33(1)(c), sect. 33(1)(d), sect. 33(1)(e) [para. 19]; sect. 34 [para. 40].

Federal Court Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-7, sect. 2 [para. 97]; sect. 18 [para. 80]; sect. 18.1(1) [para. 74 et seq.]; sect. 28 [para. 80]; sect. 28.1(1) [para. 77]; sect. 28(2) [para. 78].

Navigable Waters Protection Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-22, sect. 5 [para. 32].

Northumberland Strait Crossing Act, 1992, Bill C-110, sect. 4(2), sect. 7(1), sect. 9 [para. 25].

Northumberland Strait Crossing Project Federal-Provincial Agreement, sect. 6, sect. 10, sect. 13 [para. 26].

Prince Edward Island Subsidy Act, S.C. 1912, c. 42 [para. 82].

Terms of the Union (P.E.I.), generally [para. 55 et seq.].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Cromwell, Thomas A., Locus Standi: A Commentary on the Law of Standing in Canada (1986), pp. 163, 164 [para. 79].

Cullen, Mary K., Canada's Smallest Province (1973), c. 10, generally [para. 59].

Emond, D. Paul, The Greening Of Environmental Law (1991), 36 McGill L.J. 742, p. 757 [para. 39].

Hogg, Peter W., Constitutional Law of Canada (3rd Ed. 1992), pp. 102 [para. 85]; 413 [para. 60]; 414 [para. 61]

Counsel:

M. Freiman, W. McDowell, R. Northey and B. Croft, for the applicant;

J. Thompson, H. Morphy, J. de Pencier, L. Pattillo and B. Evernden, for the respondents Minister of Public Works, Minister of Transportation and Minister of the Environment;

J. Laskin and D. Hatch, for the respondent SCI Partnership;

L. Clain, A. Scales, R. Rogers and M. Doelle, for the respondent Attorney General for Prince Edward Island;

P. MacNutt and P. Blanchet, for the respondent Attorney General of New Brunswick.

Solicitors of Record:

McCarthy Tétrault, Toronto, Ontario, for the applicant;

John C. Tait, Q.C., Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, for the respondents Minister of Public Works, Minister of Transportation and Minister of the Environment;

Davies, Ward & Beck, Toronto, Ontario, for the respondent SCI Partnership;

Stewart, McKelvey, Stirling & Scales, Charlottetown, P.E.I., for the respondent Attorney General of Prince Edward Island;

Office of the Attorney General of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, for the respondent Attorney General of New Brunswick.

This application was heard at Toronto, Ontario, on March 1, 1993, before Reed, J., of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, who delivered the following judgment at Ottawa, Ontario, on March 19, 1993.