Arbitration
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CANADA<br />
<strong>Arbitration</strong> Place<br />
The British Columbia Supreme Court, in Ben 102 Enterprises Ltd v Ben<br />
105 Enterprises Ltd, 2014 BCSC 64, held that an arbitrator is entitled to<br />
delay the release of a final award until all outstanding fees are paid.<br />
36 Date of award<br />
For what time limits is the date of the award decisive and for<br />
what time limits is the date of delivery of the award decisive?<br />
Unless agreed otherwise, a party has 30 days from the receipt of an award<br />
to request clerical or typographical corrections from the tribunal, or to seek<br />
an interpretation of a specific part of the award. An application to the court<br />
to set aside an award must be made no later than three months after it is<br />
received.<br />
37 Types of awards<br />
What types of awards are possible and what types of relief may<br />
the arbitral tribunal grant?<br />
Although not specifically addressed in any of the International <strong>Arbitration</strong><br />
Acts (save for British Columbia’s), interim and partial awards are commonly<br />
rendered in Canada. The Model Law also provides that an award<br />
on agreed terms shall be rendered subject to the same requirements as any<br />
other award.<br />
Arbitrators in Quebec may also render partial or interim awards, but as<br />
noted above, these may not amount to injunctive relief, which is reserved<br />
to the Superior Court.<br />
Article 33 of the Model Law provides that following receipt of a final<br />
award, a party may request an additional award in respect of claims that<br />
were presented during the proceedings but which were omitted from the<br />
final award.<br />
38 Termination of proceedings<br />
By what other means than an award can proceedings be<br />
terminated?<br />
Where a claimant fails to deliver a statement of claim in a timely fashion,<br />
the tribunal shall terminate the proceedings, unless otherwise agreed by<br />
the parties. The Model Law also requires the tribunal to terminate proceedings<br />
where: the claimant withdraws its claim (unless the respondent has a<br />
legitimate interest in continuing); the parties agree; or the tribunal finds<br />
the continuation of proceedings unnecessary or impossible.<br />
In circumstances where a settlement is reached during the course of<br />
proceedings, the tribunal must terminate the proceedings, and may record<br />
that settlement in the form of an award if so requested by the parties. Most<br />
Canadian jurisdictions, in implementing the Model Law, have added that<br />
the tribunal may encourage a settlement, and with the agreement of the<br />
parties, may ‘use mediation, conciliation or other procedures’ at any time<br />
during the proceedings without being disqualified from resuming the role<br />
of arbitrator.<br />
39 Cost allocation and recovery<br />
How are the costs of the arbitral proceedings allocated in<br />
awards? What costs are recoverable?<br />
Cost allocation is not addressed in the International <strong>Arbitration</strong> Acts, save<br />
for the British Columbia Act, which specifically provides that the costs of an<br />
arbitration are in the discretion of the tribunal, and may include legal fees,<br />
arbitrator fees, institutional administration fees and ‘any other expenses<br />
incurred in connection’ with the proceedings.<br />
Even without this express language, arbitrators in other Canadian<br />
jurisdictions routinely award costs, finding jurisdiction to do so either<br />
through the arbitration agreement, applicable institutional rules or a recognised<br />
equitable right to award costs as justice requires. In keeping with<br />
the rules for cost allocation applicable in Canadian courts, costs are typically<br />
awarded on a ‘loser pays’ basis, with apportionment possible where<br />
success is divided.<br />
40 Interest<br />
May interest be awarded for principal claims and for costs and<br />
at what rate?<br />
The awarding of interest, either on principal claims or costs, is not<br />
addressed in the International <strong>Arbitration</strong> Acts, save for the British<br />
Columbia Act that expressly provides that tribunals may award interest.<br />
Tribunals in other Canadian jurisdictions, however, routinely award<br />
interest where the power to do so is found in the provisions of the underlying<br />
contract at issue, the arbitration agreement, the applicable institutional<br />
rules, or the law governing the substance of the dispute. The rate is<br />
normally a commercial rate in relation to the Bank of Canada prime rate,<br />
unless otherwise expressly provided for in the underlying contract.<br />
Proceedings subsequent to issuance of an award<br />
41 Interpretation and correction of awards<br />
Does the arbitral tribunal have the power to correct or interpret<br />
an award on its own or at the parties’ initiative? What time<br />
limits apply?<br />
Pursuant to article 33 of the Model Law, a party has 30 days from the date<br />
of receipt of the award to request corrections of any typographical, computational<br />
or clerical errors, or to seek an interpretation of a specific part of<br />
the award from the tribunal. The tribunal may also correct errors and issue<br />
clarifications on its own initiative, subject to the same 30-day time limit.<br />
42 Challenge of awards<br />
How and on what grounds can awards be challenged and set<br />
aside?<br />
The International <strong>Arbitration</strong> Acts prescribe a limited number of grounds<br />
upon which applications to set aside an award may be made to the courts.<br />
In general, Canadian courts show significant deference to arbitral tribunals,<br />
and pursuant to article 34 of the Model Law will only set aside an<br />
award where it is proven that:<br />
• a party was under some incapacity;<br />
• the arbitration agreement was invalid under the applicable law;<br />
• the party making the application to set aside an award was not given<br />
proper notice of an arbitrator’s appointment or the arbitral proceedings,<br />
or was otherwise unable to present his or her case;<br />
• the award deals with a dispute not contemplated in the submission to<br />
arbitration; or<br />
• the arbitral tribunal or the applicable procedure was not in accordance<br />
with the agreement of the parties.<br />
The award may also be set aside where the court finds that the subject matter<br />
of the dispute itself is not arbitrable, or where the award conflicts with<br />
a public policy, as supported by a specific law of the Canadian jurisdiction<br />
at issue. On an application to set aside an award, the court has discretion to<br />
stay the underlying arbitration proceedings.<br />
43 Levels of appeal<br />
How many levels of appeal are there? How long does it<br />
generally take until a challenge is decided at each level?<br />
Approximately what costs are incurred at each level? How are<br />
costs apportioned among the parties?<br />
Awards made in international arbitrations seated in Canada are generally<br />
not subject to appeal. In the limited circumstances prescribed in the<br />
International <strong>Arbitration</strong> Acts where a party may bring a challenge before<br />
the courts (eg, a challenge to the tribunal’s jurisdiction or to the appointment<br />
of an arbitrator), the Acts specifically provide that the court’s decision<br />
is not subject to further appeal.<br />
In other instances where arbitral proceedings may come before the<br />
courts, however, for example on an application to enforce or set aside an<br />
award, the Canadian judicial system generally consists of three levels of<br />
court: a provincial superior court of first instance; a provincial court of<br />
appeal; and finally the Supreme Court of Canada. Leave to appeal to the<br />
court of appeal is required in some instances, and leave to the Supreme<br />
Court of Canada is always needed, except in criminal matters.<br />
72 Getting the Deal Through – <strong>Arbitration</strong> 2016<br />
© Law Business Research 2016