Quebec Court of Appeal dismisses motion for referral to
arbitration as untimely.
Facts
This case arises in the context of a class action proceeding.
Vidéotron appealed from a judgment refusing its request to
modify the composition of the class to exclude persons who had
entered a contract containing an arbitration clause (the
Motion).
On April 23, 2018, Caféier-Boustifo filed an application
for authorization to institute a class action against
Télébec, Bell Canada, Vidéotron and Cogeco
Connexion Inc. in relation to allegedly abusive contract
termination clauses in telecommunications services contracts.
Before the hearing on the authorization to institute the class
action, both Bell and Cogeco filed motions for declinatory
exception (preliminary motions) on the basis that their contracts
contained arbitration clauses. The Superior Court granted the
motions and declined jurisdiction over them and their clients.