CRT BPCPA Consumer Claims in BC: Filing Against a Business Under Consumer Protection Law

Since March 31, 2025, the Civil Resolution Tribunal can resolve small claims of $5,000 and under for damage or loss caused by a breach of BC's Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act (BPCPA). If a business refused your refund, used deceptive sales tactics, or broke a statutory consumer protection rule and you suffered a loss, you may be able to file directly at the CRT.

What the BPCPA Expansion Covers

The expanded jurisdiction allows the CRT to resolve small claims up to $5,000 involving statutory consumer breaches against suppliers, debt collectors, credit reporting agencies, and payday lenders. These are claims where a business violated specific protections written into the BPCPA — not just any commercial dispute.

Examples that may qualify:

• A supplier used deceptive or unconscionable trade practices in a sale (high-pressure tactics, misleading advertising, bait-and-switch pricing)
• A debt collector violated the rules on contact frequency, hours, or prohibited collection methods
• A credit reporting agency failed to correct inaccurate information after you disputed it
• A payday lender charged fees or interest beyond the statutory caps

The claim still has to fit within the $5,000 CRT monetary limit. For larger consumer claims, Provincial Court handles amounts up to $35,000.

How It Differs From a Standard Small Claim

A standard CRT small claim is a private dispute between two parties — breach of contract, unpaid debt, property damage. A BPCPA consumer claim adds a statutory layer. You're not just arguing that the business owes you money; you're arguing that the business broke a specific consumer protection rule.

This matters because the BPCPA gives a person who suffered damage or loss from a breach a claim for damages against specified businesses under section 171. The CRT can order payment for proven loss; a claim for a declaration or injunction under section 172 belongs in the BC Supreme Court, not the CRT.

The filing process uses the same CRT portal and the same fee structure — $75 for claims up to $3,000, $125 for claims between $3,001 and $5,000. The Solution Explorer will route you through the appropriate intake path based on the nature of your complaint.

Refund Claims at the CRT

Not every refund dispute is a BPCPA claim. If a business simply breached a contract (didn't deliver what was promised, delivered a defective product), that's a standard small claims matter. But if the business used deceptive practices to sell you the product in the first place — misrepresented its features, concealed material defects, or employed unconscionable sales pressure — the BPCPA framework applies.

The distinction matters for your written submissions. In a standard claim, you argue breach of contract and quantify your loss. In a BPCPA claim, you also need to identify which specific consumer protection provision the business violated and explain how their conduct meets the statutory definition.

Before You File

Gather your evidence the same way you would for any CRT claim — the contract or receipt, communications with the business, proof of what was promised versus what was delivered, and documentation of your loss. If you sent a demand letter asking for a refund and the business refused, include that exchange.

The CRT's Solution Explorer will help you classify whether your dispute fits the BPCPA stream or a standard small claims path.

For the complete filing process — from demand letter through service, evidence preparation, and the tribunal decision — the BC CRT Small Claim Filing Guide walks through every stage for both standard and consumer claims.

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