Case Summaries Category Archives

Cardenas v. Toronto (City), 2017 ONCA 237

Defendant brought Third Party claim against home owner, but failed to serve the Third Part Claim. Defendant’s motion to validate service was dismissed. Court was not satisfied that statement of claim came to third party’s attention. Motion judge found personal service was important because third party’s potential liability far exceeded limits of her policy. Defendant appealed and this appeal was dismissed as the interests of justice did not require dispensing with service.

Lloyd v. Bush, 2017 ONCA 252

A municipality will only be liable for failing to salt and clear road of snow where it had actual or constructive knowledge that road conditions create unreasonable risk of harm to users of a highway, and where the municipality unreasonably neglected that risk. Furthermore, in determining the proper reasonable response, municipalities should not be limited in their response by the minimum maintenance standards. Municipalities should consider the circumstances and determine if the condition of the road poses an unreasonable risk of harm to reasonable drivers. Whether municipality’s actions are reasonable or not depends in part on resources that were available to the municipality.