Current Practices of Online Dispute Resolution － the Canadian Experience

Abstract

Canada's courts enjoy a deserved reputation for honesty and fairness, and judges are widely respected. However, many people, from the Chief Justice of Canada on down, express concerns that the traditional court system is expensive and often slow, and that access to justice is a challenge for many people. A number of solutions have been put in place over the years. Specialist tribunals have been created for particular kinds of disputes, sometimes involving a regulatory as well as a disputeresolution purpose: the Labour Relations Board, the Landlord and Tenant Board, the Securities Commission, among many others. Specialized sections of the courts have been created: the Small Claims Court, the Commercial List. Simplified rules of procedure have been instituted.