This report provides an overview of British Columbia's Civil Resolution Tribunal, which is Canada's first online tribunal. The report also discusses the differences between public and private online dispute resolution (ODR) processes, and argues that despite the successes of private ODR systems, increasing access to justice cannot fully happen until ODR is integrated into a public justice system. Although private ODR systems have provided add-ons to the justice system, making it simpler to use in some cases, this might result in longer-term impediments to justice system reform.
The report also stresses the importance of integrating plain language into the justice system, and discusses how the Civil Resolution Tribunal approached this challenge.