Could class-action lawsuits against other Canadian universities be next?
A very interesting ruling out of British Columbia yesterday states that the University of British Columbia does not have the legal authority to issue parking fines and must refund individuals whom paid the fines in the past.
It appears the ruling is based solely on provincial laws. This raises the question: will similar laws in other provinces leave universities across Canada exposed to a similar class-action lawsuit? I’d expect we’ll find out very soon, as there is a lot of money to be made for any law firm that could successfully win a similar case.
From my experience, universities are very heavy-handed in their enforcement of parking regulations and fines. The fact they are able to withdrawal academic services and withhold marks over parking fines has always stuck me as an abuse of power.
It is because of these abuses of power that I cheer the B.C. court ruling.