Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. for the Diocese of Peterborough, Ontario v. Cobourg (Town) et al., (1998) 62 O.T.C. 338 (GD)

• Judge: Swinton, J.
• Court: Ontario Court of Justice General Division (Canada)
• Case Date: April 17, 1998
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1998), 62 O.T.C. 338 (GD)

R.C. Episcopal v. Cobourg (1998), 62 O.T.C. 338 (GD)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1998] O.T.C. TBEd. MY.063

The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Peterborough, in Ontario, Canada (appellant) v. The Corporation of the Town of Cobourg and Frank Lukes, Chief Building Official for the Corporation of the Town of Cobourg (respondents)

(Court File No. 000401/98)

Indexed As: Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. for the Diocese of Peterborough, Ontario v. Cobourg (Town) et al.

Ontario Court of Justice

General Division

Cobourg

Swinton, J.

May 7, 1998.

Summary:

A church building in the Town of Cobourg was designated as heritage property. The Chief Building Official for the Town issued a demolition permit for the Church rectory. The Chief Building Official subsequently revoked the permit on the grounds that it was contrary to the Heritage Easement Agreement entered into by the Church and registered on the property. The Church appealed, asserting that the Chief Building Official lacked authority to revoke the permit for a number of reasons, including the form of the notice of revocation, the inapplicability of the Heritage Easement Agreement and estoppel.

The Ontario Court (General Division) dismissed the appeal.

Land Regulation - Topic 2941

Land use control - Heritage protection - Designation of properties - General - See paragraphs 17 to 21.

Land Regulation - Topic 2946

Land use control - Heritage protection - Designation of properties - Demolition applications - See paragraphs 1 to 29.

Municipal Law - Topic 1501

Powers of municipalities - Particular powers - Re demolition of buildings or structures - See paragraphs 24, 25.

Municipal Law - Topic 1611

Powers of municipalities - Estoppel - General - See paragraphs 22 to 28.

Real Property - Topic 8081

Title - Registration of instruments, etc. - Notice by registration - General - See paragraphs 22, 23.

Cases Noticed:

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran (Ottawa) (Trustees) v. Ottawa (City) et al., [1982] 2 S.C.R. 616; 45 N.R. 271; 140 D.L.R.(3d) 577, refd to. [para. 4].

Toronto College Street Centre Ltd. v. Toronto (City) (1986), 17 O.A.C. 113; 56 O.R.(2d) 522 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4.].

Woodglen & Co. and Building Inspector for North York (Uzumeri) v. North York (City) (1984), 43 O.R.(2d) 289 (Co. Ct.), affd. (1984), 5 O.A.C. 313; 47 O.R.(2d) 614 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 14].

Colchester (County) v. Mr. C. Restaurants Inc. et al. (1994), 136 N.S.R.(2d) 358; 388 A.P.R. 358 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 25].

Markham (Town) v. Eastown Plaza Ltd. (1992), 11 M.P.L.R.(2d) 134 (Ont. Gen. Div.), consd. [para. 25].

Heifer Group Ltd. v. Listowel (Town) Chief Building Official (1996), 38 M.P.L.R.(2d) 76 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 25].

Statutes Noticed:

Building Code Act, S.O. 1992, c. 23, sect. 8(2) [para. 2]; sect. 8(10)(d) [para. 3].

Building Code Act Regulations (Ont.), Reg. 169/93, generally [para. 2].

Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O-18, sect. 37 [para. 7].

Registry Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. R-20, sect. 74(1) [para. 23].

Counsel:

W.G. MacDonald, for the appellant;

D.W. DeMille, for the respondents.

This appeal was heard on April 17, 1998, in Cobourg, Ontario, by Swinton, J., of the Ontario Court (General Division), who delivered the following reasons for judgment on May 7, 1998.