Law360 Canada ( August 20, 2021, 5:23 AM EDT) -- Appeal by the plaintiffs from trial judgment dismissing their actions for damages for negligent investigation, malicious prosecution, violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and bad faith. The appellants owned single-family dwellings that they rented out to students in Windsor, Ontario. The appellants were charged with Fire Code violations that applied to lodging houses following investigations by the respondent Boutette, a city fire-prevention officer. Boutette attended each of the premises at least once to investigate. He also sought the opinion of several people in other municipalities who dealt with similar issues. He consulted with the Fire Marshal and the Crown Attorney. The Justice of the Peace determined that the houses were not lodging houses within the meaning of the Fire Code and thus not subject to the retrofit requirement in s. 9.3 of the Fire Code. The charges were thus dismissed, and the appellants commenced the present actions. The trial judge held the respondents had reasonable grounds to believe the properties were lodging houses prior to laying charges under the Fire Code, the investigator did not conduct a negligent investigation, and neither the investigation nor the laying of charges was motivated by malice....