The Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, a pro-life advocacy group, was denied advertising space on public buses by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority for one of its campaigns aimed at demonizing women who have an abortion. It argued that the refusal constituted an unreasonable infringement on its Charter right to freedom of expression. The decision of TransLink was upheld by the chamber’s judge on judicial review, but ultimately overturned by the Court of Appeal, primarily on the basis of its failure to properly address the Charter argument. The Court of Appeal remitted the matter back to TransLink for reconsideration.

16. November 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Transportation Authority – Human Rights – Charter of Rights and Freedoms – Judicial review – Appeals – Fresh evidence – Standard of review – Reasonableness – Proportionality Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform v. South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, [2018] B.C.J. No. 3156, 2018 BCCA 344, British Columbia Court ...

Development Cost Charges may apply if the developer receives a direct or indirect benefit from City drainage works

16. October 2018 0
A developer was denied an exemption to the City of Coquitlam’s development cost charges for drainage works because the developer was found to benefit directly and/or indirectly from the drainage works, and it followed that this imposed new capital costs burdens on the City. Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Municipal boards – Judicial review ...

The appellant, Dr. Hefnawi, was enrolled in the Medical Services Plan (“MSP”). In 2010, he was audited by the Billing Integrity Program (“BIP”). The Medical Services Commission (the “Commission”) sought recovery of funds for fraudulent or mispresented patient billing and gave notice of its intention to cancel the appellants enrolment as a practitioner under the Medicare Protection Act, RSBC 1996, c. 286 (“MPA”).

16. October 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Ministry of Health Billing Integrity Program – Judicial review – Appeals – Natural Justice – Procedural requirements and fairness – Evidence – Physicians and surgeons – Disciplinary proceedings – Billing matters – Records Hefnawi v Health Care Practitioners Special Committee for Audit Hearings, [2018] B.C.J. No. 2932, 2018 BCSC ...

The Applicant, Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (“CPABC”), unsuccessfully sought leave to appeal a decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had allowed a statutory appeal from a discipline decision made by the CPABC against the Respondent, Mr. Vuong Nguyen.

18. September 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Chartered Professional Accountants Disciplinary Committee – Judicial review – Appeals – Correctness – Accountants – Disciplinary proceedings – Procedural fairness Nguyen v. Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, [2018] B.C.J. No. 1428, 2018 BCCA 299, British Columbia Court of Appeal, July 17, 2018, J.E.D. Savage J.A. (In Chambers) Mr. ...

This case involves judicial review of a decision of the Residential Tenancy Branch finding that a non-profit community housing guest policy was discriminatory and harmed the residents. The court dismissed the judicial review, finding that the Tribunal’s decision was reasonable.

21. August 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Residential Tenancy office – Judicial review – Procedural requirements and fairness – Standard of review – Patent unreasonableness – Landlord and tenant – Residential tenancy agreements PHS Community Services Society v. Swait, [2018] B.C.J. No. 958, 2018 BCSC 824, British Columbia Supreme Court, May 18, 2018, N. Sharma J. ...

A prior penalty decision can be considered by a hearing panel in making a subsequent penalty decision, even if the prior penalty is under review, depending on the wording of the governing legislation

17. July 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Law Societies – Judicial review – Appeals – Standard of review – Reasonableness – Barristers and solicitors – Disciplinary proceedings – Professional misconduct – Suspensions Law Society of British Columbia v. Perrick, [2018] BCJ No 785, 2018 BCCA 169, British Columbia Court of Appeal, May 2, 2018, M.E. Saunders, ...

A strata sought a judicial stay of proceeding following a Civil Resolution Tribunal (“CRT”) decision to deny the strata’s request to be represented by counsel, and subsequent decision to deny the strata’s request for a stay of proceedings pending its application for judicial review regarding the decision to deny the strata’s request for counsel

17. July 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Civil Resolution Tribunal – Right to legal counsel – Judicial review – Stay of proceedings – Remedies – Interlocutory injunctions – Condominiums – Strata corporations Strata Plan NW 2575 v. Booth, [2018] BCJ No 811, 2018 BCSC 715, British Columbia Supreme Court, May 3, 2018, DeWitt-Van Oosten J. A ...

The Appellant, University of British Columbia, successfully appealed the order of a Chambers Judge. The Chambers Judge had denied its petition for judicial review of a decision of an adjudicator in the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC). The adjudicator had ordered certain admissions criteria to be disclosed to the Respondent, Mr. Lister.

19. June 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Privacy Commissioner – Freedom of information and protection of privacy – Disclosure of records – Judicial review – Appeals – Standard of review – Reasonableness University of British Columbia v. Lister, [2018] B.C.J. No. 658, 2018 BCCA 139, British Columbia Court of Appeal, April 13, 2018, M.V. Newbury, P.A. ...

The Appellant, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (the “Association”), successfully appealed a decision from a Chambers Judge in the Supreme Court of BC. The Chambers Judge had granted an application for judicial review made by the Respondent, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (the “Network”), in relation to a BC Human Rights Tribunal decision. In the result, the BC Court of Appeal reinstated the earlier decision of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, which had dismissed the Network’s complaint against the Association.

19. June 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Human Rights Tribunal – Discrimination – Race – Judicial review – Appeals – Standard of review – Correctness – Reasonableness Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users v. British Columbia (Human Rights Tribunal), [2018] B.C.J. No. 644, 2018 BCCA 132, British Columbia Court of Appeal, April 11, 2018, H. Groberman, ...

When faced with a multi-pronged test, a tribunal must not rely on a broad-brush approach, but must engage in a thorough analysis of the entire test, reviewing all the evidence before it

15. May 2018 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Privacy Commissioner – Disclosure of records – Judicial review – Procedural requirements and fairness – Standard of review – Reasonableness Plenary Group (Canada) Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services), [2018] B.C.J. No. 506, 2018 BCSC 444, British Columbia Supreme Court, March 20, 2018, D.W. ...