Strata disputes often end up in court, costing litigants a lot of time and money.

With Canada’s first online tribunal for strata and small-claims cases going live this year in B.C., troubles arising from condominium living should be less of a pain.

As inaugural chair of B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal, lawyer Shannon Salter has her hands full with the upcoming launch.

“We’re really increasing access to justice because we’re giving people choices about how and when they resolve their disputes,” Salter told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview.

When the tribunal’s site becomes operational, it will be available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A self-help tool will be up and running by summer to guide strata owners in analyzing their problems, according to Salter.

Later, spats will be settled by the parties themselves through negotiation tools available online, or they can invite facilitators. If they can’t work it out, tribunal members, who are expected to be appointed after July this year, will make a binding decision.

“So that’s one thing that’s really innovative about the tribunal,” Salter said about the use of adjudication as a last resort.

“But another thing is using technology to break down barriers to access to justice,” Salter continued, “letting people manage their dispute from the comfort of their home, for instance, on their iPad after work and after their kids are in bed, at a time when it’s convenient for them and they can think and they can get help if they need it without having to travel or take time off work.”

Passed in 2012, the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act provided that parties must agree voluntarily to use the tribunal’s process.

On March 10 this year, the B.C. Liberal government introduced Bill 19, which seeks to make it mandatory in 2016 to resolve strata and small-claims disputes up to $10,000 through the tribunal.

“For the first year or so that the tribunal operates, it will be voluntary and that will let us make sure that we’ve refined our processes and things are running as smoothly as they can,” Salter explained, “and then about a year after that, it will be mandatory.”

Those either without access to a computer and the Internet or who are uncomfortable sorting through disputes online need not worry.

“The tribunal is also able to serve people through mail or telephone, if they prefer,” Salter said. “So people don’t have to use the online technology, although we think that the vast majority of people will.”

With many already used to doing things online, like paying bills, Salter noted: “It makes sense to bring the justice system into people’s living rooms.”