Wright v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada et al., 2015 BCCA 312

• Judge: Frankel, J.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: June 16, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: 2015 BCCA 312;(2015), 375 B.C.A.C. 19 (CA)

Wright v. Sun Life (2015), 375 B.C.A.C. 19 (CA);

    644 W.A.C. 19

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JL.029

Dr. Robert S. Wright (appellant/plaintiff) v. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada and The Prudential Group Assurance Company of England (Canada) (respondents/defendants)

(CA41630)

Dr. Robert S. Wright (appellant/plaintiff) v. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada and The Prudential Group Assurance Company of England (Canada) (respondents/defendants)

(CA42674; 2015 BCCA 312)

Indexed As: Wright v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada et al.

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Frankel, J.A.

July 8, 2015.

Summary:

Wright sued his insurers ("Sun Life") for income replacement benefits under a group policy of insurance. He applied to review the Registrar's assessment of a bill of costs arising out of the dismissal of his appeal from the pre-trial order which dismissed his appeal from the order of a Master requiring him to attend an independent medical examination. Sun Life applied to have a notice of appeal filed by Wright declared a nullity. That notice related to a pre-trial order refusing Wright's application to extend the time for the delivery of an expert report. With respect to both applications, Sun Life sought an award of lump-sum costs and to dispense with the need for Wright to approve the form of the formal orders.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal, per Frankel, J.A., dismissed Wright's application and allowed Sun Life's application. With respect to both, Sun Life was awarded lump-sum costs, and Wright's approval as to the form of the formal orders was dispensed with.

Courts - Topic 2583

Registrars and prothonotaries - Appeals from - Scope of review (incl. standard of review) - See paragraphs 10 and 11.

Practice - Topic 5418

Judgments and orders - General - Drawing orders and judgments - See paragraph 67.

Practice - Topic 6929

Costs - General principles - Judicial review of orders of taxing officer - See paragraphs 12 to 19.

Practice - Topic 7117

Costs - Party and party costs - Special orders - Lump sum in lieu of taxed costs - See paragraphs 61 to 66.

Practice - Topic 8862

Appeals - Quashing or dismissal of appeals - Grounds for - See paragraphs 37 to 42.

Practice - Topic 8875.1

Appeals - Leave to appeal - From case management or pre-trial orders - See paragraphs 37 to 42.

Practice - Topic 9009

Appeals - Notice of appeal - Striking out notice of appeal - See paragraphs 37 to 42.

Practice - Topic 9270

Appeals - Judgments by appeal court - Formal judgment - Form and content - See paragraph 67.

Cases Noticed:

Neill et al. v. Expropriation Compensation Board (B.C.) et al. (1996), 69 B.C.A.C. 119; 113 W.A.C. 119; 15 B.C.L.R.(3d) 325 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

Royal Bank of Canada v. United Used Auto & Truck Parts Ltd. et al., 2003 BCCA 76, refd to. [para. 11].

Sutherland v. Vancouver International Airport Authority - see Sutherland et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) et al.

Sutherland et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) et al. (2007), 240 B.C.A.C. 17; 398 W.A.C. 17; 2007 BCCA 213, refd to. [para. 11].

Ashton Mining of Canada Inc. v. Kwantes et al. (2010), 283 B.C.A.C. 56; 480 W.A.C. 56; 2010 BCCA 79, refd to. [para. 11].

Forest Glen Wood Products Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) (2008), 262 B.C.A.C. 183; 441 W.A.C. 183; 303 D.L.R.(4th) 474; 2008 BCCA 480, refd to. [para. 38].

Equus Petroleum Corporation v. Superintendent of Brokers (B.C.), [1985] B.C.J. No. 2228 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 46].

B.C.G.E.U. v. Royal Canadian Legion Hastings Branch No. 185 (1989), 36 B.C.L.R.(2d) 308 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 47].

Dow v. Briggs (1994), 51 B.C.A.C. 130; 84 W.A.C. 130; 98 B.C.L.R.(2d) 372 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 48].

Kapelus v. University of British Columbia et al. (2002), 174 B.C.A.C. 93; 286 W.A.C. 93; 2002 BCCA 566, refd to. [para. 49].

Bryfogle v. Smit et al., [2005] B.C.A.C. Uned. 146; 2005 BCCA 547, refd to. [para. 50].

Synex Pharmaceutical Inc. et al. v. Lee et al. (2009), 277 B.C.A.C. 252; 469 W.A.C. 252; 2009 BCCA 473, refd to. [para. 51].

Bronson et al. v. Hewitt et al. (2011), 309 B.C.A.C. 163; 523 W.A.C. 163; 21 B.C.L.R.(5th) 323; 2011 BCCA 349, refd to. [para. 55].

Balzer v. Sun LifeAssurance Co. of Canada, [2002] B.C.A.C. Uned. 166; 2002 BCCA 688, refd to. [para. 56].

418486 B.C. Ltd. v. Newport City Club Ltd. et al. (2005), 216 B.C.A.C. 160; 356 W.A.C. 160; 44 B.C.L.R.(4th) 312; 2005 BCCA 441, refd to. [para. 56].

I.J. v. J.A.M. et al. (2013), 342 B.C.A.C. 53; 585 W.A.C. 53; 2013 BCCA 430, refd to. [para. 56].

Farm Credit Canada v. West-Kana Farms Ltd. et al. (2014), 365 B.C.A.C. 127; 627 W.A.C. 127; 68 B.C.L.R.(5th) 333; 2014 BCCA 501, refd to. [para. 56].

Bentley et al. v. Police Complaint Commissioner (B.C.) et al. (2012), 331 B.C.A.C. 178; 565 W.A.C. 178; 40 B.C.L.R.(5th) 266; 2012 BCCA 514, refd to. [para. 57].

Spatling v. MacEachern, [1994] B.C.J. No. 3156 (C.A.), folld. [para. 60].

Statutes Noticed:

Court of Appeal Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 77, sect. 7 [para. 39]; sect. 10(2)(a), sect. 10(2)(e) [para. 44]; sect. 10(3) [para. 8]; sect. 28(a) [para. 44].

Court of Appeal Rules (B.C.) - see Rules of Court (B.C.), Court of Appeal Rules.

Rules of Court (B.C.), Court of Appeal Rules, rule 2.1 [para. 40]; rule 70 [para. 9].

Counsel:

R.S. Wright, acted on his own behalf;

A.M. Gunn, Q.C., for the respondents.

These applications were heard on June 16, 2015, at Vancouver, British Columbia, before Frankel, J.A., in Chambers, of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The Court delivered the following reasons for judgment, dated July 8, 2015.