Ontario Severance

B. v. P.

2001 CanLII 28228 (ON SC)Ontario Superior Court of JusticeDecided Class action - Employment

Class Action Certification: Seniority Dispute Involving Air Canada Pilots

Summary

A class action certification motion in which plaintiffs sought to certify a class proceeding under the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, alleging that Air Canada pilots interfered with the implementation of a seniority list under the CALPA Merger Policy. The court found that the criteria for certification were met and granted certification subject to outstanding prerequisites. The case later reached the Supreme Court of Canada (B. v. P., 2002 SCC 40). The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, affirming the lower courts' decisions that a union member cannot be held personally liable to other members for breach of contract based on the terms of the union constitution.

Outcome

Certification granted subject to outstanding prerequisites

Key Factors

  • class action
  • trade unions
  • seniority disputes
  • merger policy
  • certification motion

Related Cases

Heller v. Uber Technologies Inc.

2026 ONSC 4102 (CanLII) · 2026-07-14

Heller v. Uber: Class Action Discovery Ruling

This is an interlocutory procedural decision within a class action lawsuit concerning the employment status of Uber drivers. The court addressed motions regarding the discovery of class members, specifically granting leave to examine ten additional class members and determining the parameters for these examinations to ensure relevance to common issues.

W. v. Enbridge Gas Inc.

2026 ONSC 3321 (CanLII) · 2026-06-04

Class Action Settlement Approval: Unionised Employees

This is a procedural ruling regarding the approval of a class action settlement and associated costs. The court applied the Parsons factors to determine if the settlement, which included a 75 percent recovery and cy près distribution, was fair, reasonable, and in the best interests of the class, noting risks related to limitation defences and the presence of unionised employees. The court also approved counsel's contingency fees using the percentage fee approach and refused an honorarium to the representative plaintiff due to a lack of exceptional circumstances.

C. v. The Toronto Dominion Bank

2026 ONSC 2013 (CanLII) · 2026-04-10

Class Action Certification: Systemic Pay Practices

This is a certification motion in a class action lawsuit against an employer regarding systemic pay practices. The court certified the action, finding that claims in contract, negligence, fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment disclosed causes of action and that common issues predominated. Aggregate damages were certified, but punitive damages were refused due to a lack of basis in fact.

D. v. Bank of Nova Scotia

2026 ONSC 1793 (CanLII) · 2026-03-31

Class Action: Bank of Nova Scotia Vacation Pay Certification

This is a certification motion in a class action lawsuit brought by Home Financing Advisors against the Bank of Nova Scotia regarding employment standards compliance under the Canada Labour Code. The court addressed whether common issues existed concerning the calculation of vacation and statutory holiday pay, specifically whether the bank's disclosure methods were confusing under the Kinch test. The motion also considered expert evidence admissibility and limitation periods for accrued entitlements. Certification was granted for the proposed class.

C. v. Pizza Nova Take Out Ltd.

2026 ONSC 713 (CanLII) · 2026-03-24

Class Certification: Common Employer & Employee Status Appeal

This is an appeal from a class certification decision involving a class of drivers suing a franchisor and franchisees. The Divisional Court dismissed the appeal regarding the certification of common issues concerning employee versus independent contractor status and negligence, but allowed the appeal in part by setting aside the certification of a franchise-wide conspiracy claim.

More Ontario employment decisions from 2001

This summary was written by AI from the published decision and its headnote. It is not an official version of the decision; read the full text on CanLII before relying on it. This is legal information, not legal advice. Ontario Severance is an educational tool. If you are facing a serious employment law matter, consult with a qualified employment lawyer in Ontario.