Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. v. Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique

2019 SCC 53 [2019] 3 SCR 920 Court SCC Decision date 2019-11-13 Heard 2019-11-13 Docket 38297 English

PartiesVolkswagen Group Canada Inc., Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen AG, Audi Canada Inc., Audi of America Inc. and Audi AG Appellants·Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique and André Bélisle Respondents·ENvironnement JEUnesse and Quebec Environmental Law Centre Interveners

Counsel (3)

Solicitors for the appellants: Borden Ladner Gervais, Montréal.
Solicitors for the respondents: Bouchard+Avocats inc., Québec; Dominique Neuman avocat, Montréal.
Solicitors for the interveners: Trudel Johnston & Lespérance, Montréal.

Judges Wagner, Richard; Abella, Rosalie Silberman; Moldaver, Michael J.; Karakatsanis, Andromache; Côté, Suzanne; Brown, Russell; Rowe, Malcolm; Martin, Sheilah; Kasirer, Nicholas

Delivered by Wagner C.J. (Abella, Moldaver, Karakatsanis, Côté, Brown, Rowe, Martin and Kasirer JJ. concurring)

On appeal from Quebec

Contents

Reasons for Judgment — Wagner C.J. (Abella, Moldaver, Karakatsanis, Côté, Brown, Rowe, Martin and Kasirer JJ. concurring)

The Chief Justice — A majority of the Court finds that the Court of Appeal judge did not err in exercising her discretion, and the appeal is therefore dismissed with costs.

Justices Moldaver, Brown and Rowe would have allowed the appeal on the basis that the Court of Appeal judge should have granted leave to appeal on the question of law raised by the appellants. They would have remanded the case to the Court of Appeal for a decision on the merits.

Justice Côté would have allowed the appeal with costs.