Understanding the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal's role in strata disputes

What is the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal?

The BC Civil Resolution Tribunal is Canada’s first online tribunal and part of British Columbia’s public justice system. It helps resolve certain legal disputes without the need for a traditional court process.

For strata communities, the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal can handle most strata property claims in BC, including many disputes about strata bylaws, governance, fees, strata maintenance, common property, and owner rights.
 

Why the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal matters for strata communities

The BC Civil Resolution Tribunal gives strata corporations, owners, tenants, and other eligible participants a more accessible way to resolve many disputes.

Instead of starting in court, many strata issues can move through an online process. If the parties cannot agree, a tribunal member can make a final decision that may be enforced like a court order.
 

Common disputes

Common strata disputes handled by the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal may include:

• Bylaw and rule enforcement: Noise, pet rules, smoking, parking, short-term rentals, alterations, amenity use, and other conduct issues. Learn more about unenforceable strata bylaws.
   
• Strata fees and fines: Unpaid strata fees, special levies, user fees, chargebacks, interest, and fines.
   
• Repairs and maintenance: Responsibility for repairs, water leaks, damage, common property, limited common property, and maintenance decisions.
   
• Governance issues: Strata council decisions, meeting procedures, voting, records, minutes, notices, and access to strata documents.
   
• Use of strata lots: Disputes about how an owner, tenant, or occupant uses a strata lot or common property.
   
• Council action or inaction: Claims involving decisions made by strata council or alleged failures to act.
   
• Voting rights: Certain disputes involving the exercise of voting rights by a person who holds 50% or more of the votes, including proxies, at an annual or special general meeting.
   
• Insurance and damage claims: Disputes involving deductibles, damage responsibility, and recovery of certain costs.

What the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal may not decide

The BC Civil Resolution Tribunal has broad strata jurisdiction, but it cannot decide every issue. Examples may include claims about harassment, bullying, slander, or certain land issues like ordering the sale of a strata lot or deciding each owner’s percent share in the strata.
 

How the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal process works for strata disputes

The BC Civil Resolution Tribunal’s role in strata disputes generally follows these steps:

1. Solution Explorer: The process often begins with the CRT’s free Solution Explorer. It asks questions about the issue and provides customized legal information, self-help tools, and communication templates.
    
2. Application or response: If the issue is not resolved, a strata corporation, owner, or tenant may apply to make a claim or respond to a claim made against them. Owners and tenants generally need to request a council hearing first, unless the CRT directs otherwise. If accepted, the CRT issues a Dispute Notice that is usually served by the CRT, unless the CRT tells the applicant to serve it.
    
3. Negotiation: Parties may have an opportunity to communicate through the CRT platform and try to resolve the dispute directly. Settlement may happen at any stage of the process.
    
4. Facilitation: If negotiation does not resolve the dispute, a CRT case manager may help the parties work toward an agreement. Facilitation is meant to be collaborative, practical, and focused on narrowing the issues.
    
5. Tribunal decision: If the parties cannot settle, the dispute may move to a tribunal member. The tribunal member reviews the evidence and submissions and can issue a final, legally binding decision.
    
6. Enforcement: CRT final decisions and orders may be enforced like court orders. This means parties should take the process seriously and keep organized records from the beginning.

For more information, view the CRT Process flowchart.
 

CRT tips for strata councils

1. Work with legal counsel and your management company

   CRT disputes can involve bylaws, council authority, procedural fairness, evidence, deadlines, and enforceable orders. Before filing or responding to a claim, strata councils should coordinate with qualified legal counsel and their management company. Counsel can help assess legal risk, while the management team can help gather records, organize timelines, track communications, and support a consistent process.
    

2. Use the Solution Explorer before filing

   The CRT Solution Explorer can help strata councils understand the type of claim, possible remedies, and information the parties may need. Even if the council expects the dispute to continue, using the tool can help clarify the issue, identify useful documents, and frame the next communication before a formal claim is filed.
    

3. Track deadlines and response dates

   CRT claims move through defined steps, and missed deadlines can affect the strata’s position. Councils should track response deadlines, document upload dates, facilitation dates, settlement terms, and any deadlines set by a case manager or tribunal member. A shared timeline can help council, management, and counsel stay aligned.
    

4. Tie enforcement to a specific bylaw or rule

   When enforcing bylaws by sending a warning, fine notice, or chargeback letter, identify the specific bylaw, rule, or statutory provision involved. Avoid vague statements like “inappropriate conduct” without explaining the conduct and the rule. This helps owners and tenants understand the issue and gives the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal a clearer record if the dispute later becomes a claim.
    

5. Preserve meeting and decision records

   Council minutes, general meeting minutes, notices, agendas, voting records, and written resolutions can become important evidence. Strata councils should record decisions accurately and keep supporting documents where they can be found later. This is especially important for repairs, special levies, fines, chargebacks, contract approvals, and bylaw enforcement.
    

6. Prepare for facilitation, not just adjudication

   Many CRT claims are resolved before a final decision. Strata councils should enter facilitation with a clear understanding of the issue, the desired outcome, and possible settlement terms. Practical solutions may include repair timelines, payment arrangements, access dates, document production, revised notices, or agreement about future conduct.

About FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is British Columbia’s leading property management company, serving strata corporations, rental properties, and residential communities across the province. Our local teams handle maintenance, inspections, financial management, and communication to keep properties secure and well cared for.

We help owners and council members stay ahead of issues through consistent oversight and proactive planning. With 24/7 customer care, expert guidance, and access to trusted local vendors, we make it easier to protect property values and simplify community operations.

Contact FirstService Residential today to learn more.

This information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal, regulatory, financial, or operational advice, or as a representation or guarantee of any specific services, capabilities, or outcomes. Property management needs, regulatory requirements, market conditions, and available services vary by jurisdiction, property type, and community. FirstService Residential provides services through locally based affiliates and associates, and services and results may vary by community, region, contractual terms, and applicable law.