Recorded on: September 23, 2025
Length: 60 minutes
Summary
Lawyers Ouran Li and Denea Bascombe answer common questions about making a claim with BC's Civil Resolution Tribunal.
Highlights
In this webinar, you will learn:
What the CRT is (and isn’t)
What the CRT is. [3:40]
The types of claims you can take to the CRT. [4:30]
How to decide whether to go to the Provincial Court (Small Claims) or the BC Supreme Court instead of the CRT. [5:20]
Getting started: Access and filing
Whether you need a lawyer to file a claim with the CRT, and what other support options are available. [7:00]
How to start a claim with the CRT. [13:20]
The costs of filing a claim with the CRT, other potential expenses, and whether you can recover your fees and expenses if you win. [15:10]
The risks of losing a claim, including whether you may be responsible for the other party’s fees and expenses, and when fees may be waived. [16:15]
Timing and deadlines
How long you have to file a claim with the CRT and what happens if you miss the limitation period. [18:35]
Deadlines in the CRT process to be aware of and what happens if you miss them. [20:40]
How long it takes to resolve a claim through the CRT. [24:30]
The process: What to expect
What happens after a claim is filed. [27:20]
Whether you will need to attend a hearing or testify in front of a judge. [32:05]
Settlement and resolution options
Whether you can settle a CRT claim directly with the other side, and if doing so would resolve your CRT claim. [33:10]
What you can expect to recover through the CRT, and how to decide if pursuing a claim is worthwhile. [37:00]
The process for bringing an intimate images claim, the types of resolutions available, and whether you risk drawing unwanted attention. [40:30]
If things don’t go your way
Your options if your claim goes all the way to a final decision and you lose. [46:00]
Preparing ahead
How to strengthen your case before filing a CRT claim. [48:40]
Live questions
How to enforce a CRT decision if the other party doesn’t comply. [52:20]
Whether a CRT claim can be expedited if you are facing safety issues. [53:25]
How to present physical evidence at a CRT hearing. [54:35]
The roles and responsibilities of a case manager. [56:20]
Featuring
Ouran Li
Ouran Li is a trial lawyer at Metrotown Law Chambers. Ouran has handled a variety of civil dispute cases including in employment law, construction, strata, and commercial litigation. He is an Executive Committee Member of the Canadian Bar Association’s Construction Law section for the years 2023-2025.
Denea Bascombe
Denea Bascombe is a lawyer at Everyone Legal Clinic. She has extensive experience working with public interest legal services in both Australia and Canada. Currently, Denea operates a sole practice in Vancouver, specializing in civil litigation and human rights complaints. In addition to her practice, Denea is a certified Legal Coach and serves as a board member of the Legal Coaches Association.
Attendee feedback
“A very well-presented and easy to understand webinar.”
“An excellent presentation, and your format of answering the ‘upvoted’ questions works outstandingly well.”
“Paula does a fantastic job of moderating!”
“I really appreciated the obvious expertise and knowledge of strata issues.”
“The webinar was amazing.”
Additional resources
From People’s Law School:
From the Provincial Government:
From the Civil Resolution Tribunal:
Also: