Can a registrar assess the reasonableness of s. 133 costs?
British Columbia, Canada
The following excerpt is from The Owners, Strata Plan NWS3075 v Stevens, 2018 BCSC 1784 (CanLII):
Rule 18-1 allows the court to direct an assessment by the registrar. Rule 14-1 identifies a registrar as the court officer before whom costs, including special costs, are to be assessed. Although judges may assess court costs, including special costs, the discretion to do so, is to be exercised sparingly. The superior expertise and experience of registrars in assessing court costs which involves considering the reasonableness of legal costs, disbursements and other expenses is well recognized: Gichuru v. Smith, 2014 BCCA 414. I accept therefore, a registrar is also best placed to assess the reasonableness of the “s. 133 costs” claimed by the Strata.
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