British Columbia Nurses' Union et al. v. Municipal Pension Board of Trustees et al., [2006] B.C.T.C. 132 (SC)

• Judge: Romilly, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
• Case Date: January 06, 2006
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: [2006] B.C.T.C. 132 (SC);2006 BCSC 132

Nurses Union v. Municipal Pension Bd., [2006] B.C.T.C. 132 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2006] B.C.T.C. TBEd. FE.027

British Columbia Nurses' Union, Wendy Wurflinger, Sheila Blaikie (plaintiffs) v. Municipal Pension Board of Trustees, Her Majesty The Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia (Ministry of Finance) (defendants)

(S035595; 2006 BCSC 132)

Indexed As: British Columbia Nurses' Union et al. v. Municipal Pension Board of Trustees et al.

British Columbia Supreme Court

Vancouver

Romilly, J.

January 26, 2006.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Master and Servant - Topic 1945

Remuneration - Pension or retirement benefits - Entitlement - Vesting - See paragraphs 1 to 216.

Master and Servant - Topic 1946

Remuneration - Pension or retirement benefits - Variation, amendment or rectification of plan - See paragraphs 1 to 216.

Statutes - Topic 2263

Interpretation - Presumptions and rules in aid - Against interference with vested rights (incl. pending litigation) - See paragraphs 1 to 216.

Cases Noticed:

Stearns Catalytic Pension Plans, Re, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 611; 168 N.R. 81; 155 A.R. 81; 73 W.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 101].

Schmidt v. Air Products Canada Ltd. - see Stearns Catalytic Pension Plans, Re.

Dayco (Canada) Ltd. v. National Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers Union of Canada (CAW-Canada), [1993] 2 S.C.R. 230; 152 N.R. 1; 63 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 101].

Bathgate et al. v. National Hockey League Pension Society et al. (1992), 11 O.R.(3d) 449 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 106].

Gustavson Drilling (1964) Ltd. v. Minister of National Revenue, [1977] 1 S.C.R. 271; 7 N.R. 401, refd to. [para. 109].

Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway Co. v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1950] 1 D.L.R. 305 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 109].

Canada (Attorney General) v. Kowalchuk (1990), 114 N.R. 275 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 109].

Dikranian v. Quebec (Attorney General) (2005), 342 N.R. 1; 2005 SCC 73, refd to. [para. 110].

Spooner Oils Ltd. v. Turner Valley Gas Conservation Board, [1933] S.C.R. 629, refd to. [para. 110].

Sneddon et al. v. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority et al. (2004), 197 B.C.A.C. 289; 323 W.A.C. 289; 2004 BCCA 292, refd to. [para. 113].

Cape Breton Development Corp. (Devco) v. United Mine Workers of America, [2004] C.L.A.D. No. 492 (Arb.), refd to. [para. 114].

Markle et al. v. Toronto (City) et al. (2003), 168 O.A.C. 19; 63 O.R.(3d) 321 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 114].

Canadian Union of Public Employees - C.L.C., Ontario Hydro Employees Union, Local 1000 v. Ontario Hydro (1989), 33 O.A.C. 63; 68 O.R.(2d) 620 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 114].

United Automobile Workers v. Yard-Man Inc. (1983), 716 F.2d 1476 (6th Cir.), refd to. [para. 129].

Anderson v. Alpha Portland Industries Inc. (1988), 836 F.2d 1512 (8th Cir.), cert. denied (1989), 489 U.S. 1051, refd to. [para. 131].

United Paperworkers International Union v. Champion International Corp. (1990), 908 F.2d 1252 (5th Cir.), refd to. [para. 131].

Electrical Industry of Ottawa Pension Plan v. Cybulski et al., [2001] O.T.C. 835; 30 C.C.P.B. 95 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 207].

Rivett v. Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan (1995), 9 C.C.P.B. 284 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 207].

Counsel:

Gary Caroline and Jessica Bowering, for the plaintiffs;

Ron A. Skolrood and Heather M. Cane, for the defendant, Municipal Pension Board of Trustees;

Clifton Prowse and Gareth Morley, for the defendant, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia (Ministry of Finance).

This action was heard on November 28-30 and December 1 and 2, 2005, with supplemental submissions received on January 6, 2006, before Romilly, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following decision on January 26, 2006.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.