Starting May 1, 2021, most disputes about injuries from vehicle accidents will come to the CRT. This coincides with the launch of BC’s new “care-based” model of accident compensation.
Under ICBC’s new Enhanced Care coverage launching on May 1, 2021, people will be compensated for their injuries according to amounts and categories set by regulation and policy. In most cases, a person won’t be able to sue the person responsible for the accident for damages.
We’re working hard to prepare for this expanded area of CRT jurisdiction. We’re reporting on our progress in a series of blog posts, which highlight aspects of our team’s hard work behind the scenes.
Solution Explorer
The Solution Explorer is the first step in the CRT dispute process. It asks you a series of questions to help classify your dispute. It gives you free legal information, self-help tools, and options for what you can do about your dispute. If you can’t resolve your dispute on your own, and it might be within the CRT’s jurisdiction, then the Solution Explorer takes you directly to the CRT application form.
Our Solution Explorer content for this new area is almost ready for public beta testing! We’ll post a testing invitation on our website and social media in the coming days.
Technology Update
We started building the CRT’s online systems way back in 2014. We’ve always built our technology in stages, which lets us carefully test new features with staff and the public before launch.
We’ve created a new online application form for accident benefits disputes, for vehicle accidents that happen after May 1. This streamlined form was tested with community advocates, legal students, behavioural insights experts, and CRT staff to make sure it’s accessible and easy to use.
Over the summer, we’ll be making similar updates to our online application forms for disputes about small claims, strata, motor vehicle accidents before May 1, and societies and cooperatives. We’ll also update our online forms for responding to a dispute.
Also over the next few months, we’ll be improving the CRT Account experience. We’re making it easier for you to:
• Create an account
• Make changes to your account information
• Manage your claims
• Communicate with the CRT
• Upload evidence and arguments
CRT Rules
We’re working on updates to our CRT rules for our May 1, 2021 launch of vehicle accident benefits disputes.
The draft rules will be available for public consultation and feedback within the next few weeks. We’ll post a consultation invitation on our website and social media.
If you have any questions or comments about our implementation work for vehicle accident disputes after May 1, 2021, please contact us.