Can special costs be awarded in a fast track action?

British Columbia, Canada


The following excerpt is from Wildcat Helicopters Inc. v. Ellis, 2017 BCSC 506 (CanLII):

Although not addressing the issue of whether special costs may be awarded in a fast track action, Walker J., in Mayer v. Osborne Contracting Ltd., 2011 BCSC 914 at para. 11 (citing a number of authorities), suggests circumstances may justify an award of special costs where a party: a) pursues a meritless claim and is reckless with regard to the truth; b) makes improper allegations of fraud, conspiracy, fraudulent misrepresentation, or breach of fiduciary duty; c) has displayed “reckless indifference” by not recognizing early on that its claim was manifestly deficient; d) made the resolution of an issue far more difficult than it should have been; e) who is in a financially superior position to the other brings proceedings, not with the reasonable expectation of a favourable outcome, but in the absence of merit in order to impose a financial burden on the opposing party; f) presents a case so weak that it is bound to fail, and continues to pursue its meritless claim after it is drawn to its attention that the claim is without merit; g) brings a proceeding for an improper motive; h) maintains unfounded allegations of fraud or dishonesty; and i) pursues claims frivolously or without foundation.

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