The plaintiffs were successful in defeating the defendants' motion for summary judgment and sought costs of $97,824.74 on a partial indemnity basis.
The defendants argued the amount claimed was disproportionate and excessive, suggesting an award between $10,000 and $15,000.
The court reviewed the time claimed by the plaintiffs' counsel, finding that the hours spent on preparing affidavits, facta, and other materials were unreasonably excessive and not proportional to the complexity of the motion.
Applying the principles of reasonableness and proportionality, the court fixed the plaintiffs' costs at $40,949.89 inclusive of fees, disbursements, and HST.