Limitation Periods: Municipal and Administrative Law: Baker & Baker Services, Vancouver

Limitation period for actions against municipality

Local Government Act s. 285 All actions against a municipality for the unlawful doing of anything that
(a) is purported to have been done by the municipality under the powers conferred by an Act, and
(b) might have been lawfully done by the municipality if acting in the manner established by law, must be commenced within 6 months after the cause of action first arose, or within a further period designated by the council in a particular case, but not afterwards.

Immunity unless notice given to municipality after damage

Local Government Act s. 286 (1) A municipality is in no case liable for damages unless notice in writing, setting out the time, place and manner in which the damage has been sustained, is delivered to the municipality within 2 months from the date on which the damage was sustained.
(2) In case of the death of a person injured, the failure to give notice required by this section is not a bar to the maintenance of the action.
(3) Failure to give the notice or its insufficiency is not a bar to the maintenance of an action if the court before whom it is tried, or, in case of appeal, the Court of Appeal, believes
(a) there was reasonable excuse, and
(b) the defendant has not been prejudiced in its defence by the failure or insufficiency.