Arguments explain your side of the claim. They help the tribunal member make a decision about your claim.
Evidence is material that supports your side of the claim. Don’t submit arguments as evidence.
You have to tell your whole story. The tribunal member won’t see any discussions you had with the other participants during negotiation or facilitation, so make sure you include everything that you want the tribunal member to know.
It’s an offence under the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act to give the CRT false or misleading information such as arguments created or altered by an artificial intelligence tool (AI). See Can I use AI tools in evidence and arguments? to learn more.
What happens if I don’t submit arguments?
Arguments explain your side of the claim. If you don’t submit arguments, you might not get the decision you want or feel you deserve.
Do arguments have to be submitted in English?
All information and evidence given to the CRT must be in English or translated to English. Generally, arguments submitted without an English translation will not be considered.
When do I submit arguments?
Arguments are submitted during the decision preparation process. The CRT will tell you when to submit your arguments, and what the deadline is.
How do I submit arguments?
Once we notify you that it’s time to submit arguments:
Log in to your CRT Account. If you’re involved in more than one dispute, choose the Dispute Number.
Click the “Arguments Needed” link. This link will be in an alert at the top of the page, in a light blue bar.
Note the character limits include spaces:
- Each argument is limited to 20,000 characters, including spaces.
- An applicant can reply to any new issues raised in the respondent’s argument, but the limit for that is 10,000 characters, including spaces.
- The character limits are shorter for arguments for interest or expenses claims.
Tip: If you log out, your draft arguments will not be saved. We suggest writing your arguments in a document first. When you’re ready, copy and paste the text into the arguments sections.
Click “Review and Save” to submit your arguments. You can’t make any changes once you submit them.
What should I include in my arguments?
Arguments explain your side of the claim. You could explain why a claim or remedy should or shouldn’t be successful, or why the evidence proves or doesn’t prove a relevant fact.
Where can I research legal decisions to help me write my arguments?
You can read BC court decisions and CRT decisions to research and understand the law and how it has been applied in the past. Canadian legal decisions are published on the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s website CanLII.org including decisions of the:
- Provincial Court of British Columbia
- Supreme Court of British Columbia
- Court of Appeal for British Columbia
- Civil Resolution Tribunal
- BC Human Rights Tribunal
- And more
Search the CanLII database using the search bar or use the enhanced search tool called CanLII Search+ to find relevant cases. Then read the cases that appear in the search results.
If you find a decision you think will help your case, you can “cite” the case by including the name of the case in your arguments and explain why you think it supports your side of the claim. For example, “In Smith v. Jones, 2010 BCSC 123 at paragragh [18] the court said…”
The CRT is not responsible for the search results CanLII produces. CanLII’s website is independent from the CRT.
Can the CRT help me with my arguments?
If you’re not sure what to say in your arguments, you may want to get legal advice.
The CRT can’t give legal advice, tell you what to say in your arguments, or help you write them.