New Brunswick (Minister of Social Development) v. Couture et al., 2014 NBCA 41

• Judge: Larlee, Deschênes and Bell, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: February 26, 2014
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2014 NBCA 41;(2014), 421 N.B.R.(2d) 367 (CA)

N.B. v. Couture (2014), 421 N.B.R.(2d) 367 (CA);

    421 R.N.-B.(2e) 367; 1094 A.P.R. 367

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[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. JL.016

Renvoi temp.: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. JL.016

Province of New Brunswick as represented by the Minister of Social Development (appellant) v. Noëlla Couture and Résidence West End Inc., a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Brunswick (respondents)

(101-13-CA; 2014 NBCA 41)

Indexed As: New Brunswick (Minister of Social Development) v. Couture et al.

Répertorié: New Brunswick (Minister of Social Development) v. Couture et al.

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Larlee, Deschênes and Bell, JJ.A.

June 26, 2014.

Summary:

Résumé:

The respondent, Couture, operated the respondent, Résidence West End Inc., a home for people with special needs. On April 17, 2013, the Minister of Social Development notified the respondents of her decision not to renew the Certificate of Approval, resulting in the impending closure of the Résidence West End Inc. On September 30, 2013, the respondents filed an application for judicial review and a motion seeking an extension of the time set out in rule 69.03 of the Rules of Court. The motion judge granted an extension of time to commence an application for judicial review. The Minister appealed that decision.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal.

Administrative Law - Topic 3342.1

Judicial review - General - Practice - Limitation period - Extension of - The respondent, Couture, operated the respondent, Résidence West End Inc., a home for people with special needs - On April 17, 2013, the Minister of Social Development notified the respondents of her decision not to renew the Certificate of Approval, resulting in the impending closure of the Résidence West End Inc. - On September 30, 2013, the respondents filed an application for judicial review and a motion seeking an extension of the time set out in rule 69.03 of the Rules of Court - The motion judge granted an extension of the time to commence an application for judicial review - In his view, the respondents' impecuniosity, caused by all of the circumstances on the record, constituted "exceptional circumstances" as contemplated by the case law - The Minister appealed that decision - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal - The case law indicated that impecuniosity was not in itself an exceptional circumstance without evidence of another unexpected or unanticipated event - There was no finding of fact or evidence filed by the respondents to support such a finding - Couture had not provided a satisfactory explanation for the delay - The fact that the respondents could not afford to retain a lawyer was not an exceptional circumstance that justified the failure to comply with the time limit set out in rule 69.03.

Droit administratif - Cote 3342.1

Révision judiciaire - Procédure - Délai de prescription - Prolongation du délai - [Voir Administrative Law - Topic 3342.1 ].

Cases Noticed:

Doiron v. Haché (2005), 290 N.B.R.(2d) 79; 755 A.P.R. 79; 2005 NBCA 75, refd to. [para. 4].

Smith v. Human Rights Commission (N.B.) et al. (1999), 217 N.B.R.(2d) 336; 555 A.P.R. 336 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8].

New Brunswick et al. v. LeBlanc et al. (2012), 398 N.B.R.(2d) 83; 1032 A.P.R. 83; 2013 NBCA 9, refd to. [para. 9].

Powell v. United Parcel Service, [2010] N.R. Uned. 158; 2010 FCA 286, refd to. [para. 10].

Canada (Attorney General) v. Hennelly (1999), 210 N.B.R.(2d) 386; 536 A.P.R. 386 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

Nelson v. New Brunswick (Attorney General), [2012] N.B.R.(2d) Uned. 136; 2012 NBQB 99, refd to. [para. 10].

B & N Hospitalities Inc. v. United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Local 1288P (2006), 306 N.B.R.(2d) 72; 793 A.P.R. 72; 306 N.B.R.(2d) 72, refd to. [para. 10].

Debly Construction Ltd. v. New Brunswick (Minister of the Environment) (2000), 229 N.B.R.(2d) 99; 592 A.P.R. 99 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 10].

C.M. Ventilation Ltd./ltée et al. v. Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 437 (1991), 122 N.B.R.(2d) 181; 306 A.P.R. 181 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 10].

Chez Couture et Ami(es) Inc. v. New Brunswick (Minister of Social Development) (2012), 399 N.B.R.(2d) 318; 1035 A.P.R. 318; 2012 NBQB 356, refd to. [para. 14].

Statutes Noticed:

Rules of Court (N.B.), rule 69.03 [para. 6].

Counsel:

Avocats:

J. Danie Roy and Maya Hamou, for the appellant;

Mario Lanteigne, for the respondents.

This appeal was heard on February 26, 2014, before Larlee, Deschênes and Bell, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal. The following judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered by Larlee, J.A., on June 26, 2014.