What's New

To make it easier to learn about what's new in the administrative justice field, links are provided below to some of the more significant information and documents posted elsewhere on the AJO Web site between December, 2005 and December, 2006, updated as of December 12, 2006.

Further information about these topics, ongoing initiatives, and documents listed on this page prior to December, 2005 may also be found under the various specific menu headings above.

The AJO works to generate thoughtful consideration and debate about administrative justice processes and possibilities for reform, to ensure that BC's administrative justice system provides the best possible service to the people who use and rely on it. The AJO is always interested in hearing about events related to administrative justice and appreciates being advised of them. The AJO can be contacted at Contact Information.

• What's New in BC's Administrative Tribunal Community

-	BC Tribunal Dispute Resolution Needs Assessment Project: Second Phase Underway
	The second phase of the joint AJO/Dispute Resolution Office Dispute Resolution Needs Assessment Project for BC’s administrative tribunals is now underway. This phase will follow-up on the report on the first phase; verifying the results of the initial assessment and addressing information gaps. The second phase of the project also includes development of a generic framework to help tribunals evaluate their dispute resolution processes and assess stakeholder satisfaction with them. [Dispute Resolution Needs Assessment Project: Second Phase]
-	Considering the ATA as an Option to the Inquiry Act Powers
	The Administrative Tribunals Act (ATA) provides British Columbia tribunals with modern, consistent powers and authorities. Extending certain of those powers and authorities to other entities is now being considered, with the focus on the ATA immunity protection, summons powers and contempt provisions as possible replacements for the comparable Inquiry Act powers. The AJO has prepared three papers (below) to prompt discussion and comments (requested by April 28). The AJO wishes to thank the many respondents for their thoughtful ideas and suggestions, and is now considering those comments. Overview Statutory Immunity: A Discussion Paper (PDF - 213KB) The Power to Compel Evidence: A Discussion Paper (PDF - 199KB) The Power to Take Action for Contempt: A Discussion Paper (PDF - 184KB)
-	New additions to Tribunal Tool Kit
		Orders for the Payment of Costs (PDF - 84KB) Enforcing Tribunal Orders Using Court Processes (PDF - 65KB)
-	Model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
		Overview Model MOU - Version 5, April 6, 2006 (PDF - 742KB)
-	Publications
		AJO Article
		BC Legislation Effective in Clarifying Standard of Review (PDF - 358KB)
-	Tribunal Success Stories
		Arrangement to Improve Efficiency and Independence for Industry Training Appeal Board (PDF - 15KB)
		Memorandum of Understanding signed by Chair, Safety Standards Appeal Board and Minister of Forests and Range (PDF - 14KB)

• Recent Decisions Respecting the Administrative Tribunals Act

• Recent Decisions Respecting Issues of General Application

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• Events

-	Upcoming Events
		The Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals will be holding its 4th International Conference, May 6 to 8, 2007 in Vancouver, BC. For more information see: http://www.ccat-ctac.org/en/conferences/
		The BC Council of Administrative Tribunals offers a variety of courses which can be reviewed at: http://www.bccat.net/Courses/Schedule.asp
-	Recently Held Events
		The Continuing Legal Education Society of BC (CLE) hosted its annual Administrative Law Conference November 23, 2006 in Vancouver. For more information, including a presentation by the AJO, see Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.
		The BC Council of Administrative Tribunals hosted its 11th Annual Conference, October 23 and 24, 2006, in Richmond, BC. More information is available at: http://www.bccat.net/
		The National Association of Administrative Law Judges held its 32nd Annual Meeting and Educational Conference in Seattle, Washington, September 6 – 8, 2006. For more information see: http://www.walja.org/2006Conference.htm
		The Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals held its 22nd Annual Conference between June 11 and 13, 2006 at Ottawa Congress Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The theme for the 2006 conference was The Integrated Tribunal: Concept to Reality. For more information see: http://www.ccat-ctac.org/en/conferences/
		Member Appraisal Seminar, May 24 & 25, 2006
		The Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice hosted a Regional Roundtable at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver on June 2, 2006. Judges, members of administrative tribunals, lawyers and academics were invited to discuss the Roundtable’s theme, “The Standard of Review & Mediation and Dispute Resolution in the context of administrative agencies”. For more information on this event, please call Heather M. MacNaughton at (604) 775-2000 or email at Heather.MacNaughton@gov.bc.ca
		Balancing Accountability and Independence: A Workshop for BC Government Staff Working with Crown Agencies and Administrative Justice Tribunals April 19, 2006 (PDF - 17KB)
		AJO Workshop for Senior Tribunal Staff, November 23, 2005

• Administrative Justice Reforms of Interest in Other Jurisdictions

2006 Update on Reforms in Other Jurisdictions (as of July, 2006) (PDF - 65KB)

• Other Activities

Further information about these topics, ongoing initiatives, and documents listed on this page prior to July, 2005 may also be found under the various specific menu headings above.

To find out more about the AJO's research activities see Publications and Research.

To see how BC's administrative justice reforms to date have been reflected in BC's laws, you can visit Legislation.

To learn more about how administrative justice reform legislation may be implemented by BC's administrative tribunals, you can go to Tribunal Tool Kit.

For links to other organizations involved in administrative justice law reform, please visit Links.