Category Archives: Contracts

Summary Judgment on Contested Amounts Owing under Natural Gas Processing and Related Agreements

By: Nigel Bankes

PDF Version: Summary Judgment on Contested Amounts Owing under Natural Gas Processing and Related Agreements

Case Commented On: SemCAMS ULC v Blaze Energy Ltd, 2015 ABQB 218

This is an important judgment on the interplay between the rules for the interpretation of contracts and the post Hryniak law on summary judgment: see Hryniak v Mauldin, 2014 SCC 7. The short version of the holding is that a producer cannot avoid summary judgment for outstanding amounts owing under a natural gas processing or related agreement on the basis that the producer has called for an audit of the operator’s accounts or otherwise disputes the amounts owing – at least where the agreements in question clearly oblige producers to settle invoices promptly, notwithstanding the existence of a dispute as to whether the invoices properly reflect the amounts owing.

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Rectification of Conservation Easement Agreements on the Basis of a Mistake in Integration: Underlying Principles

By: Evaristus Oshionebo

PPF Version: Rectification of Conservation Easement Agreements on the Basis of a Mistake in Integration: Underlying Principles

Case Commented on: Nature Conservancy of Canada v Waterton Land Trust Ltd, 2014 ABQB 303

This case raises a myriad of legal issues covering disparate areas of the law. For the purpose of this post, only those facts relevant to the issue of rectification of the conservation easement agreement will be discussed. Other aspects of the facts can be found in Jonnette Watson Hamilton’s earlier post here. Continue reading →

Unilateral Mistake in Integration: When is Rectification an Appropriate Remedy?

By: Evaristus Oshionebo

PDF Version: Unilateral Mistake in Integration: When is Rectification an Appropriate Remedy?

Case commented on: Johnson v Moody, 2014 ABQB 80

A written contract may be executed by the parties on the basis of a unilateral mistake as to a term or terms of the contract. For example, the parties may reach an oral agreement but the terms of the oral agreement may not be accurately recorded in the written contract signed by the parties. This type of mistake, usually referred to as ‘mistake in integration’, may be remedied by an order of rectification particularly where the non-mistaken party’s attempt to take advantage of the written contract would amount to fraud or the equivalent of fraud. As discussed subsequently, a mistake in integration occurred in Johnson v. Moody, a recent decision of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.

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Fundamental Breach and Repudiatory Breach of Contract

PDF Version: Fundamental Breach and Repudiatory Breach of Contract

Case commented on: John Barlot Architect Ltd. v 413481 Alberta Ltd., 2013 ABQB 388

The doctrine of fundamental breach has caused much confusion, in part because of its relationship to the doctrine of repudiatory breach. The two are entirely different doctrines, but as I tell my students, it doesn’t help that sometimes, the doctrines are merged and the terms used interchangeably.

In effect, the two doctrines are quite separate and the finding of one type of breach leads to a significantly different outcome than a finding of the other. The problem occurs when, as in this decision, the two doctrines are combined and there is no clear indication of the differences between the two. That does not necessarily render the judgment incorrect but it does make for inaccurate references and confusing terminology.

This post will focus on the doctrines of fundamental and repudiatory breach. A shortened version of the facts will be provided, as not all of them are necessary for the purpose of this post.

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Beyond the Four Corners of the Contract: The Parol Evidence Rule, Implied Terms and the Duty of Good Faith

PDF Version: Beyond the Four Corners of the Contract: The Parol Evidence Rule, Implied Terms and the Duty of Good Faith

Case commented on: Bhasin v Hrynew, 2013 ABCA 98, leave to appeal granted, 2013 CanLII 53400 (SCC)

This appeal is ultimately about contractual interpretation. It is about the types of obligations, over and above the express terms, that can be brought into the contract and the difficulties created as a result of the assertion that the contract goes beyond its express terms. Importantly, it considers the duty of good faith in the context of commercial relations and, as stated by the Supreme Court of Canada, which has granted leave to appeal, whether such duty could be excluded by an entire agreement clause.

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