If you didn’t agree on a way to resolve the claim during facilitation, the next step is a CRT final decision. That’s when a tribunal member makes a decision based on the law, and the evidence and arguments from all the participants.

The tribunal member needs specific information from the participants. This information gathering process is called “tribunal decision preparation”. Here’s how it works:

1. The applicant submits their arguments and their evidence
2. The respondents reply to the arguments and submit their own evidence
3. The applicant gives a final reply to the respondents’ arguments
4. Your case manager might create a Statement of Facts to help the tribunal member identify what things the participants agree and disagree on

What are the deadlines?

There are different deadlines for each step. We will tell you how much time you have. If you need more time, ask your case manager. The CRT will decide if you should get a time extension. See the CRT Rules for more details.

This preparation process is usually done online and in writing. The legal term is a “written hearing”.

Sometimes the tribunal member will decide it’s necessary to have an “oral hearing” instead of a written one. Oral hearings are done by phone or videoconference. Participants can also ask for an oral hearing, but it’s up to the tribunal member to decide.

How long will it take to get the decision?

It depends on how many participants there are, and how much evidence and other information each one submits. It can also take time for the CRT to assign the claim to an appropriate tribunal member. Our tribunal members are assigned claims according to their areas of expertise, experience, current workloads, and other factors.

Learn more about final decisions.