Selkirk v. Lesam Hotels Ltd. et al. (1999) 262 A.R. 1 (Q.B.); 261 A.R. 22; 225 W.A.C. 22 (C.A.): Common Law Duty to Clean Your Sidewalk (Comment), (2000) 261 A.R. 24

• Case Date: July 13, 2000
• Citations: (2000), 261 A.R. 24

Selkirk v. Lesam Hotels Ltd. (Comment) (2000), 261 A.R. 24;

    225 W.A.C. 24

MLB Case Comment

CASE COMMENT

Indexed As: Selkirk v. Lesam Hotels Ltd. et al. (1999) 262 A.R. 1 (Q.B.); 261 A.R. 22; 225 W.A.C. 22 (C.A.): Common Law Duty to Clean Your Sidewalk (Comment)

Office of the City Solicitor

City of Calgary

John H. Gescher and Johannes H. Schenk

July 13, 2000.

Summary:

This case comment contains no summary.

Torts - Topic 45

Negligence - Standard of care - Particular persons and relationships - Landowners or occupiers of land - [See Torts - Topic 78 ].

Torts - Topic 78

Negligence - Duty of care - Effect of municipal bylaws on the scope of the duty of care - The Alberta Court of Appeal refused to strike a statement of claim where a user of a sidewalk had sued the adjacent property owner for failing to keep the sidewalk clean as required by a muni­cipal bylaw (Selkirk v. Lesam Hotels Ltd. et al., 261 A.R. 22; 225 W.A.C. 22) - A Case Commentator discussed whether there should be a common law duty of care arising from the bylaw - The Commenta­tor discussed the reluctance of Canadian courts to use bylaws to establish such a duty of care.

Torts - Topic 3554

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dan­gerous premises - Occupier and premises defined - Respecting sidewalks - [See Torts - Topic 78 ].

Torts - Topic 3588

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dan­gerous premises - Negligence of occupier -Sidewalks, walkways, ramps, etc. - [See Torts - Topic 78 ].

Torts - Topic 3712.5

Occupiers' liability or negligence for dan­gerous premises - Invitees - Liability of particular occupiers - Sidewalks, walkways, ramps, etc. - [See Torts - Topic 78 ].

Cases Noticed:

Donoghue v. Stevenson, [1932] A.C. 562 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 2].

Slumski v. Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Canada, [1994] O.J. No. 301 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 5].

Rolland v. Lim, [1992] 1 D.M.P.L. 588 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

Malone v. Toronto (City), [1992] O.J. No. 801 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

Moody v. Toronto (City) et al. (1996), 15 O.T.C. 122; 31 O.R.(3d) 53 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

Gandara v. Toronto (City) (1994), 22 M.P.L.R.(2d) 220 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

Hicken v. Etobicoke (City), [1999] O.T.C. Uned. 854 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

Bongiardina v. York (Regional Municipal­ity) (1999), 46 O.R.(3d) 345 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

Gardner v. Unimet Investments Ltd. et al. (1996), 76 B.C.A.C. 215; 125 W.A.C. 215; 19 B.C.L.R.(3d) 196 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 6].

Kluane v. Chasse, [1998] A.J. No. 757 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 7].

Chong v. Flynn (1998), 233 A.R. 120 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 7].

Anns v. London Borough Council of Merton, [1977] 2 All E.R. 492; [1978] A.C. 728 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 8].

Curran v. Northern Ireland Co-Ownership Housing Association, [1987] 2 All E.R. 13; 82 N.R. 332 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 8].

Murphy v. Brentwood District Council, [1990] 2 All E.R. 908; 113 N.R. 81 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 8].

Kamloops (City) v. Nielsen and Hughes (1984), 54 N.R. 1; 26 M.P.L.R. 81 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 9].

Manolakos v. Vernon (City) et al. (1989), 102 N.R. 249 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 9].

Ingles v. Tutkaluk Construction Ltd. et al. (2000), 251 N.R. 63; 130 O.A.C. 201 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 9].

Stewart v. Pettie (1995), 177 N.R. 297; 162 A.R. 241; 83 W.A.C. 241; 25 Alta.L.R.(3d) 297 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 12].

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool v. Canada, [1983] 1 S.C.R. 205; 45 N.R. 425; 143 D.L.R.(3d) 9, refd to. [para. 13].

Brewer Brothers et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) (1992), 129 N.R. 3; 8 C.C.L.T.(2d) 45 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

Devloo v. Canada (1992), 129 N.R. 39; 8 C.C.L.T.(2d) 93 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

Statutes Noticed:

Calgary (City) Bylaws, Bylaw No. 20M88, generally [para. 10].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Linden, Canadian Tort Law (6th Ed.), p. 317 [para. 15].

This case comment was written on July 13, 2000, by John H. Gescher, manager, and Johannes H. Schenk, barrister and solicitor, Litigation Section, Office of the City Solici­tor, City of Calgary.