Minimum Maintenance Standards and the Municipal Act, 2001: Lessons Learned from Thornhill (Litigation Guardian of) v. Shadid

• Author: C. Kirk Boggs and Meredith E. Jones
• Pages: 451-476



Minimum Maintenance Standards

andtheMunicipalAct

LessonsLearnedfromThornhill

(Litigation Guardian of) v. Shadid

C. Kirk Boggs and Meredith E. Jones*

A. INTRODUCTION

Giventhatoneoftheprimaryfunctionsoflocalgovernmentisthecon-

structionandmaintenanceofstreetsandhighwaysitisnotsurprising

thataccidentsoccurringonmunicipalroadsprovidethelargestsingle

source of claims against mun icipalitiesHowever unlike individual

citizens the powers duties and responsibilities of mun icipalities are

principally derived from statute and correspondingly in most Can-

adianjurisdictionsamunicipalitysdutytokeepitspublichighwaysand

bridgesinareasonablestateofrepairhasbeencodiedbystatute

Historicallythelegislatureandthecourtshavemadeitclearthat

amunicipalityisnottobetreatedasaninsurerofthesafetyofthose

usingitshighwaysandbridgesAmunicipalitysobligationistotake

reasonableactiontokeepitshighwaysandbridgesinareasonablestate

ofrepairinthecircumstancesincludingthecharacterandlocationof

 CKirkBoggsisapartnerintheInsuranceDefenceLitigationHealthLawandClass

ProceedingspracticegroupsatLernersLLPandiscertiedbytheLawSocietyof

UpperCanadaasaSpecialistincivillitigationMeredithEJonesisanassociatein

theInsuranceDefenceLitigationandHealthLawpracticegroupatLernersLLP

 DGBoghosianJMDavisonQCThe Law of Municipal Liability in Ca nadaloose-

leafMarkhamONBuerworthsatBoghosianDavison

 Ibid.

 Thornhill (Litigation Guardian of ) v. ShadidOJNoatparaSCJ

Thornhill

CKBMEJ

thehighwayorbridgeAmunicipalityisnotandcannotbeexpectedto

makeallofitsroadspassableatalltimesandinallweatherconditions

Thatsaidwhatisconsideredreasonableactionandareasonablestate

ofrepairhasbeensubjecttooveracenturyofanalysisandlitigation

Asourroadsvehiclesandmaintenancetechnologyhaveevolvedso

hasthescopeofamunicipalitysdutyofrepairWhatwasreasonable

repairinthesorsmaynolongerbeviewedasadequatebyour

courtsWhiletheunderlyingprincipleshavelargelyremainedthesame

theirapplicationtospecicfactsituationshaschangedovertimeasso-

cietyandthecourtshavesoughttoexpandgovernmentsresponsibility

forourdaytodaysafetyWhilenodoubtbenecialfromapublicsafety

standpoint this philosophical shi  from a more individual to a more

collectiveresponsibilityhasdramaticallyincreasedthenancialburden

on municipalities as they aempt to meet the increased ex pectations

placedonthemThepressuretofundhigherlevelsofservicehasinevit-

ablycomeintoconictwiththecontinuousdemandtodecreasetaxes

While a statutorily imposed duty of care is not subje ct to the policy

vsoperationaldecisionanalysistherealityisthatnumerousdecisions

withrespecttocompetingnancialprioritiesimpactonamunicipalitys

abilitytoprovideserviceImposingliabilityinthefaceofthesecompet-

ingdemandscanbeafrustratingexperienceforamunicipality

In Ontario the Municipal Act imposesa duty on a munici-

palcorporationtokeepitshighwaysinareasonablestateofrepairThe

MunicipalActalsoimposescivilliabilityonamunicipalitywhose

defaultinitsdutiesresultsindamagestoanindividualThroughan

analysis of section  of the Municipal Act  Ontario Regulation

Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal HighwaysMMS

andtherecentdecisioninThornhill (Litigation Guardian) v. Shadidthis

paperwillexaminethecurrentstateofthelawinOntariowithrespect

to a municipalitysduty to keep its highways in a reasonable state of

repair

 HDavidet aledsThomson Rogers on Municipal Lia bilityAuroraONCanadaLaw

Bookat

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

 Thornhill supranoteatparaGRustDEyeOBarMosheedsThe Ontario

MunicipalActAUsersManualTorontoThomsonCarswellat

 Thornhill ibid