Tribunals have existed for years to provide specialized and hopefully more efficient thus cheaper resolution of many different types of disputes which would cost too many tax dollars let alone your legal fees to fight about in court.

You will have heard about the different specialized tribunals such as tenancy disputes, WCB disputes, employment disputes, and Union disputes, etc. These tribunals focus on a specific subject so the staff and Arbitrators can build up experience in that specialized subject as well as provide free information and service to the public to resolve those specific kinds of disputes instead of you having to go to a traditional court.

Then in 2012 British Columbia created the first online tribunal service in Canada for common civil disputes. Subject to certain limits, such as a limit on the amount of your Claim, section 2.1 of the CIVIL RESOLUTION TRIBUNAL ACT states "The tribunal may, in accordance with this Act, adjudicate the following claim categories..." which have grown to include certain defined legal issues involving small claims, vehicle accidents, and property-related disputes involving condominiums (stratas), Societies and Cooperatives.

All tribunals, whether in person or online, are designed to simplify the process but of course the law involved is still difficult to understand and apply. Thus you still need a lawyer for legal advice. [email protected]