WEB EXTRA - Catalyst and Port Alberni have day in court
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Updated: September 09, 2009 6:35 AM
The legal row between Catalyst Paper Corporation and the four municipalities they operate in has gone from the board room to the court room.
Earlier this summer, Catalyst initiated a legal challenge against the four municipalities, citing unreasonably high municipal industrial taxes. They also posed paying taxes based on their consumption model that would see them pay far less than municipalities charged.
According to Port Alberni city manager Ken Watson, Port Alberni’s case was heard in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver before Justice Peter Voith on Sept. 3-4.
Catalyst made its case first on the Sept. 3, while City Lawyer Michael Woodward argued the city’s position.
Sept. 4.
“We maintain that the tax bylaw that was passed by the city is within the scope of what the municipalities are provided for under the community charter to adopt,” Watson said. “It was more complex than that, but there’s the gist of it.”
Woodward has a half day’s more material to present, a hearing for which hasn’t been scheduled, Watson said.
Lawyers for Campbell River and North Cowichan made their cases in August, while lawyers for Powell River are scheduled to be heard later this month.
Watson wouldn’t speculate on how the trial was going, saying only that the matter is before a judge, who will make a decision after hearing all the evidence.
A final decision should be rendered in the fall, Watson said.
Calls to Catalyst weren’t returned.
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