Ann Dinnert

The plaintiff, a Scheduling Assistant at a long-term care home, was terminated without cause and provided two weeks' pay in lieu of notice after a nine-month probationary period.

She sued for wrongful dismissal and human rights violations, claiming she was discriminated against due to her Newfoundland accent and pregnancy, and sought $750,000 in damages.

The court found the employer had sufficient grounds for termination due to ongoing performance issues but opted to terminate without cause.

The court held that the two weeks' notice was reasonable under the Bardal factors and dismissed the human rights claims due to inconsistent and insufficient evidence.

The appellant commenced two actions in the Superior Court of Justice regarding a decision of the Social Benefits Tribunal requiring her to repay $1,314 in benefits received under the Ontario Works Act.

The motion judge struck out the statements of claim on the basis that the Superior Court has no jurisdiction by way of action over decisions of the Tribunal.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, confirming that the proper procedure is to appeal the decision on a question of law to the Divisional Court or seek judicial review.

The applicant sought judicial review of a Service Manager's decision refusing to extend the time to apply for special priority status for rent-geared-to-income housing assistance.

The applicant, a victim of past abuse, missed the deadline due to her immigration status at the time.

The Divisional Court dismissed the application, finding that the Service Manager reasonably exercised his discretion by prioritizing applicants who were at risk of further abuse.

The court noted that deference is owed to polycentric decisions involving the allocation of limited public resources.