Emrys Charles Davis

A Case Management Conference was held regarding appeals of the City of Guelph's Official Plan Amendment No. 79 (Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan).

The Tribunal granted Party Status on consent to the Foundation for the Support of International Medical Training Inc. The parties submitted a draft Procedural Order and Issues List, noting that 13 issues remained outstanding pending upcoming Tribunal-assisted mediation.

The Tribunal approved the revised Procedural Order and scheduled a further Case Management Conference for September 2023.

This motion concerned the approval of several settlement agreements in ongoing automotive parts class actions, specifically with Mitsubishi Heavy, SKF, Brose, and Yamada.

The plaintiffs also sought approval for a distribution protocol for Automotive Bearings, Electric Powered Steering Assemblies, High Intensity Discharge Ballasts, and Manual Steering Columns actions, authorization for using previously produced customer information, honoraria for representative plaintiffs, use of residual wire harness funds, and class counsel's legal fees and disbursements.

The court granted all requests, finding the settlements and distribution protocol fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class, and the requested fees and honoraria justified.

The defendant moved to strike the plaintiff's statement of claim for failing to disclose a reasonable cause of action.

The plaintiff cross-moved for leave to amend its claim to include causes of action under the Trademarks Act and for intentional interference with economic relations, abandoning its initial defamation claim.

The court struck the original statement of claim due to the plaintiff's lack of standing to sue on behalf of its members.

The court also dismissed the plaintiff's motion for leave to amend, finding that the proposed amended claim failed to plead essential elements for both the Trademark Act claim (lack of pleaded intellectual property ownership) and the intentional interference claim (failure to clearly plead its own economic interests and how they were harmed).

However, the court granted the plaintiff leave to deliver a new draft amended statement of claim by a specified date, emphasizing that further attempts without proper pleading might be deemed abusive.

Costs of $25,000 were awarded to the defendant, payable before any new draft statement of claim is delivered.

The Tribunal held a second Case Management Conference regarding a land compensation claim arising from an expropriation by the Ministry of Transportation.

The claimants had made a settlement offer in February 2021, to which the Ministry had not yet responded.

The Ministry indicated its response would be issued imminently.

The Tribunal scheduled a third Case Management Conference to allow time for the Ministry's response and to consider potential Tribunal-led mediation.

Bennett Jones LLP brought an unopposed motion to be removed as lawyers of record for the Clover Leaf Defendants in a proposed class action alleging a price-fixing conspiracy.

The Clover Leaf Defendants had filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada, resulting in a stay of proceedings and the sale of their assets.

As the entities' interests are now governed by bankruptcy trustees who have their own counsel, Bennett Jones LLP could no longer represent them.

The court granted the motion, noting it would not cause prejudicial delay.

The appellant appealed a zoning by-law amendment passed by the municipality to facilitate the development of apartment buildings.

Prior to the hearing, the parties reached a settlement for a revised proposal of one 3-storey apartment building with 41 units, requiring an amendment to permit front yard parking.

Based on uncontested expert planning evidence, the Tribunal found the revised amendment consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and in conformity with the applicable official plans.

The appeal was allowed in part to amend the by-law in accordance with the settlement.

The Ontario Land Tribunal held a Case Management Conference regarding appeals of the City of Waterloo's Official Plan, zoning by-law amendments, and draft plans of subdivision.

The City withdrew its motion to geographically scope the Official Plan appeal.

The Tribunal approved a draft Procedural Order on consent of the parties, scheduling a 20-day video hearing for October 2022 and setting out the procedural requirements, including the exchange of draft conditions and expert witness meetings.

The Tribunal held a Case Management Conference regarding a 2017 expropriation of part of the claimants' lands for the realignment of Highway 6.

The claimants sought the Ministry's final design plans and the scheduling of a second CMC.

The Ministry indicated it was awaiting reports from its planner and appraiser.

The Tribunal scheduled a second CMC for February 22, 2022, and directed the Ministry to provide status updates on the final design plans, construction schedule, and expert reports.

The plaintiffs sought judicial approval of settlement agreements totaling $7.9 million with seven defendant groups in multiple class actions alleging price-fixing in the global automotive parts industry.

The court also considered the approval of a distribution protocol, discontinuances and dismissals against certain defendants, representative plaintiff honoraria, and class counsel's 25% contingency fees.

The court found the settlements, distribution protocol, and fees to be fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class, and granted all requested approvals.

The appellant appealed a zoning by-law passed by the municipality to permit the development of two 2-storey apartment buildings.

The Tribunal found that the by-law was based on sound planning principles, complied with all relevant provincial policies and the Official Plan, and would result in no negative impact.

The appeal was dismissed for lacking planning merit.

This was the second Case Management Conference for appeals regarding the City of Waterloo's 2012 Official Plan and related site-specific applications for zoning by-law amendments and plans of subdivision.

The Tribunal consolidated the Official Plan appeal with the site-specific appeals.

A 20-day video hearing was scheduled for October 2022, with a third Case Management Conference scheduled for November 2021 to finalize the procedural order and issues list.

The plaintiff in a price-fixing class action sought approval of a settlement with the sole individual defendant.

The settlement provided no monetary compensation but required the defendant to provide extensive cooperation, including an evidentiary proffer, interviews, document exchange, and trial testimony.

The court approved the settlement under s. 29 of the Class Proceedings Act, finding it fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class, as the defendant's inside information offered significant strategic value against the remaining corporate defendants.

The plaintiffs in 17 auto parts price-fixing class actions brought motions for approval of distribution protocols, an order compelling automakers to produce customer information, and approval of honoraria for representative plaintiffs.

The court approved the Omnibus and CVJB Distribution Protocols, finding them fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class.

The court also ordered the automakers to produce the requested customer information pursuant to section 12 of the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, and approved modest honoraria for the representative plaintiffs given their long-term commitment to the litigation.

The plaintiffs brought motions for the approval of 12 settlement agreements totaling $22.6 million in various class actions alleging price-fixing in the global automotive parts industry.

The court found that the proposed settlements fell within the 'zone of reasonableness,' as they were generally 8 to 10 percent of the comparable U.S. indirect purchaser settlements.

The court also approved class counsel's request for a 25 percent contingency fee, totaling approximately $5.4 million, plus disbursements, finding the fee presumptively valid and reasonable.

The plaintiffs in a price-fixing class action regarding electrolytic capacitors moved for court approval of a $5.9 million settlement with the Panasonic defendants, as well as approval of class counsel fees and disbursements.

The court found the settlement, which included significant cooperation from the settling defendants, to be fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class.

The court also approved the retainer agreements and the requested class counsel fees of $1,487,500 (25% of the settlement) and disbursements of $141,866.96, noting the complexity and risk of the litigation.

The plaintiff in a class action alleging a price-fixing conspiracy regarding film capacitors moved for approval of a settlement with the Panasonic defendants and for approval of class counsel fees.

The court found the $1.35 million settlement, which included valuable cooperation from the settling defendants, to be fair and reasonable despite being heavily discounted from the estimated exposure.

The court also approved the requested class counsel fees of 25% of the settlement, but ordered the payment to be split into two installments to incentivize counsel to advance the litigation more expeditiously.

This motion concerned the approval of class counsel's retainer agreement, fees, and disbursements following a partial settlement in a price-fixing class action.

The plaintiff class counsel sought approval for 25% of the settlement amount ($2.35 million) as fees, plus disbursements and interest.

The court reviewed the retainer agreements for compliance with the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, and assessed the reasonableness of the fees and disbursements based on established factors.

The court approved the retainer agreements and the requested fees and most disbursements, but declined to approve interest on disbursements at this stage, pending further developments in the ongoing litigation.

The plaintiff sought court approval for a class action settlement agreement with the Panasonic defendants in a price-fixing conspiracy action concerning linear resistors.

The settlement included a monetary payment of $2,350,000 and significant cooperation from the Panasonic defendants to assist in prosecuting the action against non-settling defendants.

The court approved the settlement, finding it fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class, considering the arm's length negotiations, the benefits of cooperation, and the risks of continued litigation.

However, the court rejected a proposed term in the draft order that would allow class counsel to use settlement funds for future disbursements, citing concerns about retainer agreements and counsel's financial risks.

The plaintiffs in a certified competition law class action regarding a price-fixing conspiracy for lithium-ion batteries moved for approval of a settlement with the Panasonic defendants, as well as approval of class counsel fees and a representative plaintiff honorarium.

The court approved the settlement of approximately $8.2 million CAD and the requested 25% contingency fee, finding them fair and reasonable.

However, the court denied the request for a $5,000 honorarium for the representative plaintiff, concluding his contribution was not exceptional.

The plaintiffs in a competition law class action regarding price-fixing of lithium ion batteries brought a motion for consent certification for settlement purposes and approval of a notice plan regarding a settlement with the Panasonic defendants.

The settlement provided for payment of approximately $8.2 million CAD.

The court found that the criteria for certification under the Class Proceedings Act, 1992 were met in the settlement context and granted the motion, approving the certification and the plan for disseminating the notices of hearing.