Liability of Road Authorities in the Post-MacMillan Era

• Author: Jim Virtue
• Pages: 437-450



LiabilityofRoadAuthoritiesin

thePostMacMillan Era

Jim Virtue*

A. THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF EXCULPATORY

LEGISLATION

Anydiscussion ofthe liabilityof roadauthoritiesi nOntario mustcon-

siderthedramatic regulatorych angestothe MunicipalActmade

bytheOntar iogovernmenteective NovemberThenewMini-

mum Maintenance Standards for Municipal HighwaysMMSareaboldat-

tempttoshitheeconomicburdenfromroadauthoritiestomotoristsin

casesof injury ordeathcaused bynonrepair ofh ighwaysWhens eri-

ouspersonalinjur iesaresustai nedinaccidentscausedbys nowyoricy

roadsalawsuitofsizableproportionisoentheresultItisnotuncom-

monforcour tsto ndroad authoritiesnegligent forfaili ngtorespond

quicklyenoughtoremedyaknownperilbutinthelastdecadetheOn-

tarioCourt ofAppeal hasa lsofaulted roadauthoritiesfor their failure

toanticipateareasonablerisk ofharmand theresulting failuretomeet

areasonablestandardofcareinprotecti ngthepublic

Itis th isconcept of appreciation of risk and its recent judicial in-

terpretationwhichis particularly irksometo roadauthorities Mainte-

nanceperson nelare muchmorecomfortablewith therespon sibilityof

simplydispatch ing snow plowsor truck s lled with salt and sand to

 PartnerSiskindsLLP

 SOcMunicipalAct

 Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal HighwaysORegMMS