The Applicant Consumers’ and Seniors’ Associations challenged a rate increase granted by virtue of an interim ex parte order of the Respondent Public Utilities Board of Manitoba. The Applicants brought a motion for certiorari to quash the order on both procedural and substantive grounds. They were successful in the Court of Queen’s Bench. The Board appealed. The Manitoba Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, and held that the learned motions judge ought not to have granted the Applicants’ motion of certiorari when there was an adequate alternative remedy available, namely to participate in the General Rate Application process.

27. February 2007 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Energy and Utilities Board – Hearings – Ex parte orders – Judicial review – Remedies – Alternative remedies Consumers’ Assn. of Canada (Manitoba) Inc. v. Manitoba (Public Utilities Board), [2006] M.J. No. 464, Manitoba Court of Appeal, December 18, 2006, Huband, Twaddle and Hamilton JJ.A. A rate increase granted ...

The Consumers’ Association of Canada (Manitoba) Inc. and the Manitoba Society of Seniors (the “Applicants”) applied for judicial review of an Order made by the Public Utilities Board of Manitoba (the “Board”) with respect to an ex parte Order of the Board that permitted Centra Gas Manitoba Inc. (“Centra”) to increase its natural gas rates by approximately 10% effective February 1, 2005 without any notice to or input from Centra’s customers. The court held that there was no evidence presented to the Board that supported the exceptional requirements necessary to justify of an ex parte hearing. The Board therefore should not have heard Centra’s interim application on an ex parte basis and the Applicants were entitled to an Order quashing the interim rate increase ordered by the Board following the ex parte hearing.

27. September 2005 0
Administrative law – Natural resources – Natural gas – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Energy and Utilities Board – Rate increases – Appeals – Hearings – Procedural requirements and fairness – Ex parte orders – Evidence – Interpretation of legislation – Judicial review – Standard of review – Correctness Consumers’ Assn. of Canada (Manitoba) Inc. v. Manitoba (Public ...