Debora Miller-Lichtenstein

A condominium corporation sought an equitable lien and priority over a registered mortgage for substantial unpaid common expense arrears relating to numerous units.

The corporation argued that the unit owner had been unjustly enriched by failing to pay common expenses and that the court should grant equitable relief or revive the statutory condominium lien that had expired.

The court held that the Condominium Act, 1998 provides a comprehensive statutory scheme governing liens for common expenses and that courts cannot create an equitable lien where the statute occupies the field.

Even if such a lien existed, it would not take priority over the previously registered mortgage under the Land Titles Act.

The court further held that a purchaser or mortgagee is entitled to rely on the representations contained in a status certificate and is not required to investigate beyond it.

The motion seeking priority or revival of the lien was dismissed.

The appellant sought full indemnity costs for his successful appeal and two underlying motions regarding his bankruptcy discharge and the treatment of a personal injury settlement.

The Court of Appeal declined to award full indemnity costs, finding that the Trustee's conduct was not reprehensible and that Rule 49.10 did not apply to grant a defendant substantial indemnity costs.

The court awarded the appellant partial indemnity costs of $5,000 for the motion before Spence J. and $10,000 for the appeal.

The appellant, a bankrupt who suffered severe injuries in a motor vehicle accident, appealed a motion judge's order regarding the calculation of his surplus income under s. 68 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

The motion judge had included financial assistance payments, statutory accident benefits settlement proceeds, and portions of a personal injury settlement in the appellant's total income, resulting in a surplus income payment obligation and a $15,000 penalty for failing to disclose the settlements.

The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal in part, finding that the financial assistance loan, legal costs, and damages for future care and housekeeping should not have been included in the total income calculation.

The surplus income payment was set aside, but the $15,000 penalty for non-disclosure was affirmed.

On a summary judgment motion arising from a mixed-use condominium shared services dispute, the court enforced a registered Shared Services Agreement requiring payment of shared project expenses.

The responding parties argued the claim was statute-barred under the two-year period in the Limitations Act, 2002 and alternatively relied on estoppel and alleged breach by the moving party.

The court held that the claim was governed by the ten-year limitation period in s. 23(1) of the Real Property Limitations Act because the amounts were secured by a lien and charged upon land.

After applying the Hryniak summary judgment framework and using Rule 20 fact-finding powers, the court found the amounts owing were proven, no estoppel was established, and summary judgment should issue for the full amount claimed.