Wallace Construction Specialties Ltd. et al. v. Imp-Pak Packaging Corp. et al., (1994) 127 Sask.R. 185 (QB)

• Judge: Noble, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (Canada)
• Case Date: December 08, 1994
• Jurisdiction: Saskatchewan
• Citations: (1994), 127 Sask.R. 185 (QB)

Wallace Constr. v. Imp-Pak (1994), 127 Sask.R. 185 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Wallace Construction Specialties Ltd., Revelstoke Concrete Inc., F.P.C. Fire Protection of Canada Inc., Westburne Industrial Enterprises Ltd., Hranco Welding Services 1991 Ltd., Frontier Construction Ltd., Guillevin International Inc., HBT Agra Limited and United Motor Electric (1987) Ltd. (plaintiffs) v. Imp-Pak Packaging Corporation, 174702 Canada Inc., Reeder Electric (1984) Ltd., N.B. Mechanical Contractors Ltd., Fabro Enterprises Limited, Wheatland Machine Shop Ltd., Concord Industries Inc., Grinnell Fire Protection Systems Company Ltd., Mobile Paving Ltd., Cochrane-SNC-Lavalin Inc. and Convey It Corp. (defendants)

(1994 Q.B. No. 2804)

Indexed As: Wallace Construction Specialties Ltd. et al. v. Imp-Pak Packaging Corp. et al.

Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial Centre of Saskatoon

Noble, J.

December 8, 1994.

Summary:

In November of 1992, a lienholders action was commenced against Imp-Pak Packaging Corporation and others. In August of 1994, the plaintiffs moved to amend the statement of claim to add Imp-Pak's bank as a defen­dant and to allege that the bank breached the trust provisions of the Builders' Lien Act.

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the motion.

Mechanics' Liens - Topic 8125

Practice - Parties - Adding defendants - When prohibited - In November 1992, a lienholder's action was commenced against Imp-Pak Packaging Corporation and others - In August 1994, over two years after the project was completed, the plain­tiffs moved to amend the statement of claim to add Imp-Pak's bank as a defen­dant and to allege that the bank breached the Builders' Lien Act trust provisions - Sec­tion 19(1)(b) of the Act prohibited the commencement of an action after one year - The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench concluded that the breach allega­tions were delayed too long, were vague, lacked specifics and had been explained away by the bank - The court refused to add the bank, where the plaintiffs failed to establish the reasonable possibility that the bank had breached the building trust.

Practice - Topic 666

Parties - Adding or substituting parties - Adding or substituting defendants - Application of limitation periods - [See Mechanics' Liens - Topic 8125 ].

Practice - Topic 2111

Pleadings - Amendment of pleadings - Prohibition against adding new action which is statute barred - [See Mechanics' Liens - Topic 8125 ].

Cases Noticed:

Reho Holdings Ltd. v. Saskatchewan Housing Corp., [1986] 4 W.W.R. 460; 48 Sask.R. 100 (Q.B.), dist. [para. 14].

Hansen et al. v. Canadian National Rail­way Co. et al., [1983] 4 W.W.R. 23; 22 Sask.R. 126 (C.A.), dist. [para. 14].

Caproco Corrosion Prevention Ltd. v. Universal Industries Inc. et al., [1983] 5 W.W.R. 295; 22 Sask.R. 209 (C.A.), dist. [para. 14].

ASL Paving Ltd. v. Magnus Construction Ltd. and Royal Bank of Canada, [1994] 5 W.W.R. 244; 120 Sask.R. 104; 68 W.A.C. 104 (C.A.), dist. [para. 14].

Clarkson Co. v. Canadian Bank of Com­merce, [1966] S.C.R. 513, refd to. [para. 27].

Overhead Door Co. of Regina (1973) Ltd. v. Saskatchewan Economic Development Corp. et al., [1988] 2 W.W.R. 572; 64 Sask.R. 42 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Statutes Noticed:

Builders' Lien Act, S.S. 1984-85-86, c. B-7.1, sect. 6 [paras. 9, 10]; sect. 7, sect. 8, sect. 9, sect. 10, sect. 11 [para. 9]; sect. 12 [para. 12 et seq.]; sect. 19 [para. 18]; sect. 19(1)(b) [para. 13]; sect. 88(1), sect. 88(4) [para. 12].

Queen's Bench Act, R.S.S. 1978, c. Q-1, sect. 44.11 [paras. 16, 19].

Counsel:

W.G. Turnbull, for the plaintiffs/appli­cants;

W.F.J. Hood, for the respondent Toronto-Dominion Bank.

This motion was heard before Noble, J., of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial Centre of Saskatoon, who delivered judgment on December 8, 1994.