February 17, 2021 – Sale of Jointly-Owned Property & Unconscionability Claim

“The relevant law applicable to this motion is that pertaining to an interim order for sale of jointly owned property, in conjunction with a consideration of the law developed under s. 5(6) of the Family Law Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.3.  With respect to the latter, even though this is an interim motion it bears keeping in mind that the onus will be on the respondent to satisfy the court that an equal division would be unconscionable. The law is clear that this is an exceptionally high threshold to meet, and that the focus is ultimately on the result of equalization: Serra v. Serra 2009 ONCA 105 (Ont. C.A.); Symmons v. Symmons 2012 ONCA 747 (Ont. C.A.). While the respondent does not have to demonstrate a potentially unconscionable result to defeat this motion, he does need to meet the onus of showing a prima facie case for his claim to an unequal division, as the matrimonial home and boat are the only significant assets owned by these parties from which any such payment could be satisfied: Goldman v. Kudeyla 2011 ONSC 2718 (S.C.J.) at para. 18; Zargar v. Zarrabian 2016 ONSC 2900 (S.C.J.) at para. 8; Bonnick v. Bonnick 2016 ONSC 657 (S.C.J.) at para. 3. As the party resisting the sale, the respondent must alternatively show that the applicant has engaged in malicious, vexatious or oppressive conduct: Latchman v. Latchman, 2002 CarswellOnt 1757 (Ont. C.A.), at para. 2. I use the word “alternatively” because s. 5(6) of the Family Law Act does not specifically require a party to show such conduct.  Failing proof by the respondent of an arguable case for unequal division, the applicant is entitled to exercise her prima facie right under s. 2 of the Partition Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.4 to obtain an order for partition and sale of the jointly owned home.”

Lovie v. Lovie, 2017 ONSC 1186 (CanLII) at 4