Stellar Properties Ltd. et al. v. Botham Holdings Ltd., (1994) 41 B.C.A.C. 185 (CA)

• Judge: Taylor, Wood and Rowles, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: February 24, 1994
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (1994), 41 B.C.A.C. 185 (CA)

Stellar Prop. v. Botham Holdings (1994), 41 B.C.A.C. 185 (CA);

    66 W.A.C. 185

MLB headnote and full text

Stellar Properties Ltd. and Lenor Enterprises Ltd. (plaintiffs/appellants) v. Botham Holdings Ltd. (Incorporation No. 123505) (defendant/respondent)

(CA016220)

Indexed As: Stellar Properties Ltd. et al. v. Botham Holdings Ltd.

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Taylor, Wood and Rowles, JJ.A.

February 24, 1994.

Summary:

The plaintiff intended purchasers sued the vendor of real property for damages in lieu of specific performance. The trial judge dismissed the action. The plaintiffs appealed.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Sale of Land - Topic 3757

Contract - Discharge, rescission or an­nulment - Grounds - Mistake - A com­mercial tenant had a right of first refusal to purchase the property - A potential pur­chaser, through its agent, executed an interim agreement to purchase the property - A clause in the agreement referred to the tenant's right of first refusal - The tenant's rights were misstated in the document - The British Columbia Court of Appeal affirmed that the interim agreement was entered into based on a mutual mistake and that the vendor could set aside the contract - See paragraphs 27 to 59.

Cases Noticed:

Kelowna Nurseries v. Van Oyen et al. (1981), 120 D.L.R.(3d) 755 (B.C.S.C.), affd. (1982), 138 D.L.R.(3d) 379 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

Arnold et al. v. National Westminster Bank plc, [1991] 3 All E.R. 41; 142 N.R. 31 (H.L.), consd. [para. 36].

Lomac Holdings Ltd. v. Prijatelj et al. (1982), 38 B.C.L.R. 238 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 40].

Centurion Investments Ltd. v. N.M. Skalbania Ltd. (1983), 22 Sask.R. 241 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 51].

Lewis Realty v. Skalbania et al. (1980), 23 B.C.L.R. 336 (C.A.), dist. [para. 52].

Statutes Noticed:

Property Law Act, R.S.B.C. 1979, c. 340, sect. 9 [para. 20].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Chitty on Contracts (23rd Ed.), vol. 1, p. 96 [para. 51].

Counsel:

R.S. Anderson, for the appellant;

G.S. Snarch, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard in Vancouver, British Columbia, before Taylor, Wood and Rowles, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The decision of the court was delivered orally on February 24, 1994, by Rowles, J.A.