CRT Solution Explorer: How to Use It Before Filing a BC Small Claim
Every CRT small claim starts with the Solution Explorer, and it is not optional. You cannot skip to the application form — the CRT's intake path runs through this diagnostic tool first.
The Solution Explorer sits at civilresolutionbc.ca/solution-explorer. It asks a series of questions about your dispute: what kind (money owed, property damage, consumer complaint), how much, who is involved, and what you have already tried. Based on your answers, it provides free legal information, self-help templates, and determines whether the CRT is the right forum. If it is, it routes you to the online claim application.
What It Does Well
The Solution Explorer tells you for free whether your dispute belongs at the CRT, the Residential Tenancy Branch, the Employment Standards Branch, or Provincial Court. It flags excluded claim types — tenancy deposits under the RTA, employment wage claims, land title disputes — before you pay a filing fee. For some dispute types, it also offers a demand letter template and communication tips.
What It Does Not Do
It does not verify your respondent's legal name. It does not check your limitation period. It does not evaluate your evidence or tell you whether your claim is strong. And its classification is not binding — the CRT can still decline jurisdiction after you file if the tribunal determines your dispute does not fit.
Treating the Solution Explorer as your entire pre-filing preparation is a mistake. It answers "does this belong at the CRT?" but not "am I ready to file?" The work of verifying the respondent through BC Registries, calculating whether you are within the two-year limitation period, drafting a demand letter, and organizing your evidence happens outside the portal.
Tips for Using It
Be specific about the dollar amount. The $5,000 threshold determines whether you land in the CRT or get redirected to Provincial Court. If your claim is close to the line, decide before you start whether you will abandon the excess or file in court.
Do not confuse it with filing. Completing the Solution Explorer does not file your claim or pause the limitation clock. Only submitting the Dispute Application and paying the fee (or requesting a fee waiver) starts the formal process and stops the clock.
Save or screenshot your path. The Solution Explorer does not save your session. If you close the browser, you start over. Note which path you took and what information it provided — some of it is useful background for writing your statement of claim.
The BC CRT Small Claim Step-by-Step Guide walks through the pre-filing steps the Solution Explorer does not cover — respondent verification, limitation period checks, demand letter structure — so you arrive at the application ready to file, not just eligible to.
Get Your Free BC CRT Small Claim Filing Checklist
Download the BC CRT Small Claim Filing Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.