The appellants, a congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, sought to build a place of worship in the respondent municipality.
After their initial application for a zoning amendment was refused with reasons, they made subsequent applications for a different lot, which the municipality summarily refused without providing reasons.
The appellants sought mandamus, arguing the refusal violated their freedom of religion and procedural fairness.
The Supreme Court of Canada allowed the appeal, holding that the municipality breached its duty of procedural fairness by failing to provide reasons for its subsequent refusals.
The matter was remitted to the municipality for reconsideration.
