The recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Toronto Small
Claims Court) case of Prefera Finance Ltd. v. Eden Park
Inc. is a helpful case in understanding how the Repair and
Storage Liens Act R.S.O. 1990, c. R. 25 (the RSLA) works. It
also highlights what financial structures can be used by
third-party finance companies with the benefit of the RSLA. While
the case itself is unremarkable in its result, it does highlight
specific matters that can often be misunderstood.
Facts
The facts are relatively simple. A customer (the Customer)
entered into a sale finance contract with Eden Park Inc. (Eden
Park) with respect to a vehicle. The Customer desired to acquire
snow tires and chose to finance the acquisition of these tires from
a tire vendor (the Dealer). The Dealer entered into a finance
agreement with the Customer which provided for the payment of the
tires over time by the Customer. The Dealer, to protect its
financial interest, registered a non-possessory lien