Ontario: the Divisional Court on the nunc pro tunc doctrine

The Divisional Court has confirmed that the entitlement to an order granting leave nunc pro tunc to commence a derivative action under s. 26 of the Business Corporations Act requires bringing the leave motion within the limitation period.

In 1186708 Ontario Inc. v. Gerstein, the appellants appealed from the order dismissing their motion as statute-barred arguing that the Supreme Court decision in Green (which set out the principles of the nunc pro tunc doctrine) applies only to leave applications under the Securities Act and not under other statutes.

The Divisional Court disagreed.  There was no basis not to apply the Court’s analysis in Green regarding the Securities Act to the Business Corporations Act (and probably any other statute).