BC Court decisions regarding the Builders Lien Act
Chuong v Misurelli, 2026 BCSC 1513 (CanLII) — 2026-08-10
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Construction — Builders liens — Validity of lien — Builders Lien Act, ss. 1 and 20 — Whether claimant was a “contractor, subcontractor or worker” — Whether claimed work was an “improvement” — Whether lien was filed within the 45-day deadline — Lien found invalid for non-compliance — Declaration granted
Construction — Builders liens — Wrongful filing compensation — Builders Lien Act, s. 19 — Whether “costs and damages” include full litigation legal fees — “As a result of” requiring causation and reasonableness — Indemnification limited to reasonable lien investigation and removal costs — Assessment referred to registrar — Claim partly allowed
Procedure — Costs — Special costs — Whether special costs warranted for meritless claim pursued for improper purpose — Discontinued action and litigation conduct impacting consolidated proceedings — Reprehensible conduct and deterrence considered — Quantum not fixed on a summary basis — Special costs awarded in petition and action — Assessment referred to registrar
Construction — Builders liens — Remedies — Whether punitive or exemplary damages appropriate where special costs awarded — Alleged ulterior purpose and delay tactics assessed — Punitive function compared to special costs — Special costs found sufficient to punish and deter — Punitive damages not awarded — Claim dismissed
Construction — Builders liens — Validity of lien — Builders Lien Act, ss. 1 and 20 — Whether claimant was a “contractor, subcontractor or worker” — Whether claimed work was an “improvement” — Whether lien was filed within the 45-day deadline — Lien found invalid for non-compliance — Declaration granted
Construction — Builders liens — Wrongful filing compensation — Builders Lien Act, s. 19 — Whether “costs and damages” include full litigation legal fees — “As a result of” requiring causation and reasonableness — Indemnification limited to reasonable lien investigation and removal costs — Assessment referred to registrar — Claim partly allowed
Procedure — Costs — Special costs — Whether special costs warranted for meritless claim pursued for improper purpose — Discontinued action and litigation conduct impacting consolidated proceedings — Reprehensible conduct and deterrence considered — Quantum not fixed on a summary basis — Special costs awarded in petition and action — Assessment referred to registrar
Construction — Builders liens — Remedies — Whether punitive or exemplary damages appropriate where special costs awarded — Alleged ulterior purpose and delay tactics assessed — Punitive function compared to special costs — Special costs found sufficient to punish and deter — Punitive damages not awarded — Claim dismissed
1110486 B.C. Limited v Cancon Construction Ltd., 2026 BCSC 1532 (CanLII) — 2026-08-12
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Construction — Builders lien — Petition under Builders Lien Act, s. 25 — Time for filing claim of lien — Whether liens were filed out of time and should be cancelled — Competing triggers under ss. 20(1) and 20(2) analysed — Prominent posting, head contract, and completion of improvement considered — Petition dismissed
Construction — Certificate of completion — Notice of certification of completion — Prominent place — Builders Lien Act, ss. 7(4)(c), 20(1) — Whether posting on mechanical closet door inside site office was “prominent” — “Prominent” meaning “particularly noticeable” — Notice not sufficiently prominent, s. 20(1) not triggered — Petition dismissed
Construction — Head contractor — Head contract — Improvement — Builders Lien Act, ss. 1(1), 20(2)(a) — Whether general contract was for “substantially all” work respecting the improvement — “Improvement” found to be entire townhouse project — Owner contracted significant work outside general contract — Not a head contract found — Petition dismissed
Construction — Completion — Ready for use — Improvement completed — Builders Lien Act, ss. 1(3), 20(2)(b) — Whether improvement was completed by purchaser walkthroughs — Project remained active construction site, not energized and permits outstanding — Completion found when units were conveyed to purchasers — Liens within 45 days — Petition dismissed
Construction — Cancellation of lien — Extinguishment — Time limits — Builders Lien Act, ss. 20(2)(b), 22, 25(1)(a) — Whether claims of lien were extinguished for lateness — Lien period triggered by completion of improvement, not contract completion — Claims filed within prescribed time — Cancellation refused — Petition dismissed
Construction — Builders lien — Petition under Builders Lien Act, s. 25 — Time for filing claim of lien — Whether liens were filed out of time and should be cancelled — Competing triggers under ss. 20(1) and 20(2) analysed — Prominent posting, head contract, and completion of improvement considered — Petition dismissed
Construction — Certificate of completion — Notice of certification of completion — Prominent place — Builders Lien Act, ss. 7(4)(c), 20(1) — Whether posting on mechanical closet door inside site office was “prominent” — “Prominent” meaning “particularly noticeable” — Notice not sufficiently prominent, s. 20(1) not triggered — Petition dismissed
Construction — Head contractor — Head contract — Improvement — Builders Lien Act, ss. 1(1), 20(2)(a) — Whether general contract was for “substantially all” work respecting the improvement — “Improvement” found to be entire townhouse project — Owner contracted significant work outside general contract — Not a head contract found — Petition dismissed
Construction — Completion — Ready for use — Improvement completed — Builders Lien Act, ss. 1(3), 20(2)(b) — Whether improvement was completed by purchaser walkthroughs — Project remained active construction site, not energized and permits outstanding — Completion found when units were conveyed to purchasers — Liens within 45 days — Petition dismissed
Construction — Cancellation of lien — Extinguishment — Time limits — Builders Lien Act, ss. 20(2)(b), 22, 25(1)(a) — Whether claims of lien were extinguished for lateness — Lien period triggered by completion of improvement, not contract completion — Claims filed within prescribed time — Cancellation refused — Petition dismissed
Sangha v H & R Fencing & Landscaping Ltd., 2026 BCSC 1482 (CanLII) — 2026-06-19
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Construction — Builders’ liens — Extinguishment under Builders Lien Act s. 33 — Whether lien extinguished for failure to sue and file certificate of pending litigation within one year — One-year period runs from date of lien filing — Lien ceased to exist by operation of statute — Declaration granted
Construction — Builders’ liens — Security posted to cancel lien — Whether payment of full lien amount into trust under Builders Lien Act ss. 23–24 suspends or restarts s. 33 limitation — Posting security neither adds to nor subtracts from substantive rights — Operative date remains original filing date — Limitation restart argument rejected
Construction — Builders’ liens — Return of security after extinguishment — Whether respondent may retain trust funds posted as security once lien extinguished under Builders Lien Act s. 33(5) — No statutory entitlement to retain funds after extinguishment — Security to be returned following failure to enforce lien — Funds released to petitioners’ counsel
Procedure — Petitions — Conversion to action — Whether petition should be converted into an action and referred to the trial list — No triable issues raised on extinguishment and return of funds — Admission of failure to file within one year — Discretion to convert petition declined — Cross-application dismissed
Construction — Builders’ liens — Extinguishment under Builders Lien Act s. 33 — Whether lien extinguished for failure to sue and file certificate of pending litigation within one year — One-year period runs from date of lien filing — Lien ceased to exist by operation of statute — Declaration granted
Construction — Builders’ liens — Security posted to cancel lien — Whether payment of full lien amount into trust under Builders Lien Act ss. 23–24 suspends or restarts s. 33 limitation — Posting security neither adds to nor subtracts from substantive rights — Operative date remains original filing date — Limitation restart argument rejected
Construction — Builders’ liens — Return of security after extinguishment — Whether respondent may retain trust funds posted as security once lien extinguished under Builders Lien Act s. 33(5) — No statutory entitlement to retain funds after extinguishment — Security to be returned following failure to enforce lien — Funds released to petitioners’ counsel
Procedure — Petitions — Conversion to action — Whether petition should be converted into an action and referred to the trial list — No triable issues raised on extinguishment and return of funds — Admission of failure to file within one year — Discretion to convert petition declined — Cross-application dismissed
MGC Contractors Ltd. v 1417028 B.C. Ltd., 2026 BCSC 1438 (CanLII) — 2026-06-24
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Construction — Builders lien — Cancellation — Builders Lien Act, s. 33(5) — Whether lien extinguished for failure to commence enforcement action as required — Builders lien as extraordinary statutory remedy and prejudgment security requiring strict compliance — Action not commenced in proper registry within one year — Builders lien cancelled
Construction — Builders lien — Registry of proceedings — Builders Lien Act, s. 27 and Law and Equity Act, s. 21 — Whether filing a notice of civil claim in the wrong registry commenced an action to enforce the lien — Mandatory requirement to commence in registry where land located, unless court otherwise orders — Wrong-registry filing insufficient to maintain lien — Builders lien cancelled
Limitation periods — Builders lien — One year period — Builders Lien Act, s. 33(1) and s. 33(5) — Whether the one year time period can be extended by treating transfer time as running from filing in the wrong registry — Strict compliance required for statutory lien remedy — No authority to extend mandatory one year period — Lien extinguished and cancelled
Procedure — Transfer of proceeding — Proper registry — Whether lien claimant could still transfer the existing action to the proper registry to avoid cancellation — No application to transfer brought, despite defect identified — Scandia Paving Ltd. v Bengag considered on discretion to transfer — Cancellation application made out — Application granted, lien cancelled
Construction — Builders lien — Cancellation — Builders Lien Act, s. 33(5) — Whether lien extinguished for failure to commence enforcement action as required — Builders lien as extraordinary statutory remedy and prejudgment security requiring strict compliance — Action not commenced in proper registry within one year — Builders lien cancelled
Construction — Builders lien — Registry of proceedings — Builders Lien Act, s. 27 and Law and Equity Act, s. 21 — Whether filing a notice of civil claim in the wrong registry commenced an action to enforce the lien — Mandatory requirement to commence in registry where land located, unless court otherwise orders — Wrong-registry filing insufficient to maintain lien — Builders lien cancelled
Limitation periods — Builders lien — One year period — Builders Lien Act, s. 33(1) and s. 33(5) — Whether the one year time period can be extended by treating transfer time as running from filing in the wrong registry — Strict compliance required for statutory lien remedy — No authority to extend mandatory one year period — Lien extinguished and cancelled
Procedure — Transfer of proceeding — Proper registry — Whether lien claimant could still transfer the existing action to the proper registry to avoid cancellation — No application to transfer brought, despite defect identified — Scandia Paving Ltd. v Bengag considered on discretion to transfer — Cancellation application made out — Application granted, lien cancelled
Brillion Homes Ltd. v. Tony Hayre Management Services Ltd., 2026 BCCA 303 (CanLII) — 2026-07-17
Court of Appeal for British Columbia — British Columbia
Commercial law — Contract law — Interpretation — Practice — Appeals
Commercial law — Contract law — Interpretation — Practice — Appeals
Cowichan Tribes v Canada (Attorney General), 2026 BCSC 1213 (CanLII) — 2026-06-29
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Practice — Parties — Intervenors — Aboriginal law
Real property — Practice — Parties — Intervenors — Aboriginal law
GAMA Construction Company v Williams, 2026 BCSC 1129 (CanLII) — 2026-06-18
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Entitlement
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Entitlement
Aragon (Lampson) Properties Ltd. v Stanmar Construction Inc., 2026 BCSC 1052 (CanLII) — 2026-06-09
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Holdback
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Holdback
Anvil West Construction Ltd. v Gao, 2026 BCSC 1041 (CanLII) — 2026-06-08
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Construction law — Contract law — Remedies — Damages
Real property — Construction law — Contract law — Remedies — Damages
Bridge Lake Electric Ltd. v Kellermeier Contracting Ltd., 2026 BCSC 995 (CanLII) — 2026-05-14
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Builders’ liens — Cancellation — Time for filing
Real property — Builders’ liens — Cancellation — Time for filing
KEL Design & Procurement Corp. v Springbok Electric Limited, 2026 BCSC 950 (CanLII) — 2026-05-26
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Holdback
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Holdback
Zheng v Kao, 2026 BCSC 777 (CanLII) — 2026-04-30
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Practice — Dismissal for want of prosecution
Real property — Commercial law — Practice — Dismissal for want of prosecution
The Wallin Company Inc. v Knappett Projects Inc., 2026 BCSC 729 (CanLII) — 2026-04-23
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Commercial law — Costs — Security for costs
Commercial law — Costs — Security for costs
Clarity Architectural Products Inc. v Gryphon Corporate Construction Ltd., 2026 BCSC 699 (CanLII) — 2026-04-20
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Construction law — Contract law — Repudiation
Real property — Commercial law — Construction law — Contract law — Repudiation
1866noentry.com Systems Ltd. v Surrey (City), 2026 BCSC 685 (CanLII) — 2026-04-16
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Practice
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Practice
Mazzei Electric Ltd. v Aragon (English Inn) Development Corp., 2026 BCSC 562 (CanLII) — 2026-03-31
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Cancellation — Arbitration
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Cancellation — Arbitration
2197 Otter Point Properties Nominee Ltd. v GT Mann Contracting Ltd., 2026 BCSC 558 (CanLII) — 2026-03-31
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Commercial law — Arbitration — Stay of proceedings — Practice — Class actions
Commercial law — Arbitration — Stay of proceedings — Practice — Class actions
Shape Capital Corp. v Keltic (Prior) Development Limited, 2026 BCSC 464 (CanLII) — 2026-02-23
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Receivers — Powers
Real property — Commercial law — Receivers — Powers
The Owners, Strata Plan EPS 7076 v 1186856 B.C. Ltd., 2026 BCSC 148 (CanLII) — 2026-01-29
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Condominiums — Strata corporations — Legislation — Costs
Real property — Condominiums — Strata corporations — Legislation — Costs
Coho Communications Ltd. v 1222424 B.C. Ltd. (Island View Place Care), 2026 BCSC 86 (CanLII) — 2026-01-20
Supreme Court of British Columbia — British Columbia
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Entitlement — Restitution
Real property — Commercial law — Builders’ liens — Entitlement — Restitution
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