For matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the Province (not Federal), and for purposes of this discussion, BC currently has three tiers of courts; The Supreme Court, Provincial Court (Small Claims Court), and more recently the Civil Resolutions Tribunal (CRT).
Traditionally small claims (for amounts up to $5,000) would be brought in the Provincial Court.
However, from June 1, 2017, small claims up to $5,000 falls under the jurisdiction of the CRT, and cannot be brought in the Provincial Court any more. In turn, the jurisdiction of the Provincial Court has been raised to deal with claims from $5,001 to $35,000. The upper limit being increased by $10,000 from $25,000.
Matters from $35,001 full under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
The monetary size of the claim is however not the only consideration when investigating jurisdiction. One of the most obvious is that all strata disputes are handled by the CRT, regardless of the monetary value of the claim.
Click the applicable hyperlink to read more on the jurisdiction of the Civil Resolutions Tribunal and the Provincial Court.
Please note that the content of this Blog does not constitute legal advice. For more information about BC Courts Jurisdiction contact Eric Mollema or make an appointment for a Free Initial Consultation.
