Brent Rentiers
Brent Rentiers is a partner in the firm’s Kelowna, British Columbia office. His practice focuses on the defence of liability claims against all manner of professionals, the construction industry, commercial hosts as well as the defence of large property loss claims and employment law matters. Brent also opines on general coverage issues.
Construction
Brent defends owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers and design professional in all manner of construction claims. His experience includes matters relating to building settlement, retaining wall failures, ground-water alteration, pipe failures, and defects in construction and damages caused by blasting. Many of these claims involve allegations of substandard design, inspection or construction of residential and commercial buildings.
Professional Liability
Brent represents numerous professionals including real estate agents, property appraisers, financial planners, insurance brokers, engineers, contractors, and home inspectors in claims involving alleged negligence in the performance of their professional responsibilities.
First-Party Property Claims, including Fraud and Cannabis
Brent advises insurers on large losses and defends insurers on claims brought by their insureds involving denial of first-party property coverage, and claims where the insured seeks additional monetary amounts under the policy. Brent has direct experience in advising on claims investigations and denials for suspected arson, fraudulent proofs of loss and cannabis exclusions.
Brent has defended and successfully resolved business interruption and remediation claims, engaging accounting and quantity surveying experts where necessary to resolve these claims.
Liquor/Commercial Host Liability
Brent represents commercial hosts and other providers of alcohol, such as restaurants, nightclubs, bars and pubs, in a variety of personal injury claims. A bar doorman during his university years, Brent has defended commercial host claims for assaults and forcible ejections.
Employment Practices Liability
Brent defends employers against claims of wrongful dismissal and violations of human rights and employment standards legislation.
Coverage
Brent advises insurers on coverage issues arising under various types of insurance policies, including CGL, Errors and Omissions, Employment Practices Liability and Builders Risk / Course of Construction, including acting as monitoring counsel.
Strata Claims
Brent defends Strata Corporations against all manner of claims including actions arising under the Strata Property Act and the Occupiers Liability Act.
Brent’s Representative Experience includes:
- Successful defence of dereliction of duty allegations against a Strata Corporation’s executive (settled favorably after a 2017 trial prior to issuance of the court’s written decision).
- Successful trial defence of a real estate/property management agency accused of professional negligence: Kallenbach v. Vantage Property Services Inc., 2015 BCSC 423
- Trial defence team in a major-injuries pedestrian accident: Kaiser v. Williams, 2015 BCSC 646
- Successful trial defence of a property insurer’s denial of coverage: Foch v. Gore Mutual Company, 2014 BCPC Rossland Registry No. C11271 (unreported)
- Whether a Plaintiff’s Summary Trial application is suitable for a judicial determination: P.E.Y. Holdings Ltd. v. Roshinsky, 2013 BCSC 2127
- Successful summary Trial prosecution of a Resort’s trespass and mesne profits claim: Initiate School v. Wolfenden Ventures Ltd., 2013 BCSC 257
- Representative team for an Intervenor in a constitutional Charter of Rights challenge: Charter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 BCSC 886
- Successful prosecution of an employer’s claim for fraud and defence of the employee’s counter-claim for wrongful termination: On-Site Solutions Inc. v. Knapik, 2011 ABPC 129
Recent Publications
- Off-premises Liquor Liability: Overview, Thomson Reuters, 2015
- The Calculation of Damages for Bodily Injury Claims, July 2014
Professional Affiliations and Memberships
- Called to the British Columbia Bar, 2011
- Called to the Alberta Bar, 2008
Education
- L.B. – University of British Columbia, 2007
- Bachelor of Commerce (Urban Land Economics) – University of British Columbia, 2003
