In a bid to speed up lengthy waits in B.C.’s small claims courts, Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond has announced legislation to enable British Columbians to solve strata and small claims disputes outside of court.
If passed, the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act would create an independent tribunal offering 24-7 online dispute resolution tools to small business owners and families, as a faster, cheaper alternative to the court system.
“Both individuals and business owners will find this a convenient and affordable way off reaching agreements,” Bond said. “Few people want to go to court to solve a legal dispute, which can be costly, intimidating and time consuming.”
Dispute resolution through the tribunal system is expected to take about 60 days, compared to 12 to 18 months in small claims court.
According to the province, the service would have four stages, with participants progressing to the next stage only if they were unable to reach agreement. The stages are:
- an interactive dispute resolution guide with information, tips and templates to help parties reach a settlement;
- party-to-party negotiations, with online tools to make contact and exchange information, where the tribunal would monitor and intervene in discussions if necessary;
- a case manager, who would contact parties by phone or online to discuss the issues and attempt a facilitated settlement;
- a tribunal hearing, where a tribunal member would discuss the issues with the parties online, by phone, videoconference or in person and give a binding decision in the dispute.
British Columbians would still have the alternative of going to court.
